As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 26, 2021

Registration No. 333-            

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

HEALTHCARE TRUST OF AMERICA, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Maryland	20-4738467
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

16435 North Scottsdale Road, Suite 320

Scottsdale, Arizona 85254

(480) 998-3478

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

Scott D. Peters

Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman

Healthcare Trust of America, Inc.

16435 North Scottsdale Road, Suite 320

Scottsdale, Arizona 85254

(480) 998-3478

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Copy to:

Peter T. Healy, Esq.

McDermott Will & Emery, LLP

415 Mission Street

56^th Floor

San Francisco, California 94105

(628) 218-3840

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.

If the only securities being registered on this form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box.  ☐

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box.  ☒

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☒

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Large accelerated filer	☒	Accelerated filer	☐
Non-accelerated filer	☐ (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)	Smaller reporting company	☐

☐  If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

Title of each class of securities to be registered	Amount to be registered	Proposed maximum offering price per unit	Proposed maximum aggregate offering price	Amount of registration fee
Class A Common Stock of Healthcare Trust of America, Inc., $0.01 par value per share	10,000,000(1)	$27.79(2)	$277,900,000	$30,319(3)

(1) Pursuant to Rule 416(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this registration statement also covers an indeterminate number of shares of Class A Common Stock that may be issued as a result of a stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or other similar adjustment of the outstanding Class A Common Stock.

(2) Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(c) of the Securities Act based upon a $27.79 per share average of high and low prices of the registrant’s Class A common stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on February 25, 2021.

(3) Pursuant to Rule 457(p) under the Securities Act, $27,881.52 of the filing fee previously paid with respect to securities registered pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-223173) filed by Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. on February 23, 2018, is being carried forward and is offset against the registration fee due for this registration statement.

PROSPECTUS

10,000,000 Shares

HEALTHCARE TRUST OF AMERICA, INC.

Class A Common Stock

This prospectus relates solely to our issuance of up to 10,000,000 shares of Class A common stock of Healthcare Trust of America, Inc., $0.01 par value per share (the “Class A common stock”), to certain holders of common Series A partnership units (the “partnership units”) representing limited partnership interests in Healthcare Trust of America Holdings, LP (the “Partnership”), a Delaware limited partnership, upon tender of such partnership units on a ratio of one share of Class A common stock for each partnership unit. Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. is the general partner of the Partnership.

Pursuant to the amended and restated agreement of limited partnership of the Partnership, dated as of December 20, 2012, we may elect to deliver shares of Class A common stock to unitholders who wish to have their partnership units redeemed. Alternatively, we may elect to acquire the partnership units for cash rather than issue shares of Class A common stock in exchange therefor. We do not know when or in what amount we may issue shares of Class A common stock to such partnership unitholders. This registration does not necessarily mean that any of the partnership units will be redeemed or that we will issue any shares of Class A common stock.

Our Class A common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) under the symbol “HTA.” On February 25, 2021, the last reported sale price of the Class A common stock on the NYSE was $27.36 per share.

Although we will incur expenses in connection with the registration of the 10,000,000 shares of Class A common stock covered by this prospectus, we will not receive any cash proceeds from their issuance.

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See the “Risk Factors” section on page 6 of this prospectus.

NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THESE SECURITIES OR DETERMINED IF THIS PROSPECTUS IS TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

The date of this prospectus is February 26, 2021

TABLE OF CONTENTS

	Page
About This Prospectus		1
Where You Can Find Additional Information		1
Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference		1
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements		3
About the Company		5
Risk Factors		6
Use of Proceeds		7
Description of Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. Capital Stock		8
Certain Provisions of Maryland Law and of the Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. Charter and Bylaws		12
Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations		19
Plan of Distribution		42
Legal Matters		42
Experts		42

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) utilizing a “shelf” registration process. We may also provide a prospectus supplement to add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus, on the one hand, and the information contained in any prospectus supplement, on the other hand, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement.

You should read this prospectus, any prospectus supplement, any documents that we incorporate by reference in this prospectus and in any prospectus supplement, and the additional information described below under “Where You Can Find Additional Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference” before making an investment decision. You may rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you may not rely on it. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

You should not assume that the information in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any documents we incorporate by reference herein or therein is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of those documents. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

In this prospectus, (a) the terms “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our” and similar terms refer to Healthcare Trust of America, Inc., a Maryland corporation, and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, (b) the term “HTA” refers only to Healthcare Trust of America, Inc., and (c) the term “Partnership” refers to Healthcare Trust of America Holdings, LP, a Delaware limited partnership, in each case unless the context otherwise requires.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

We are subject to the information requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Therefore, we file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may inspect and copy reports, proxy statements and other information we file with the SEC at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the public reference room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. This prospectus does not contain all information set forth in the Registration Statement and Exhibits thereto which we have filed with the SEC under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and to which reference is hereby made. We file information electronically with the SEC, and the SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information. The address of the SEC’s website is http://www.sec.gov.

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus, and later information filed with the SEC will update and supersede this information. The documents listed below and any future filings made with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act until the offering of securities under the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part is terminated or completed comprise the incorporated documents:

• our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 filed with the SEC on February 24, 2021;

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• the information specifically incorporated by reference into our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 from our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on April 29, 2020;

• the description of HTA’s Class  A common stock contained in HTA’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A (File No. 001-35568) filed with the SEC on June 5, 2012; and

• all documents filed by us with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this prospectus and before the end of any offering of the securities made under this prospectus.

It is specifically noted that any information that is deemed to be “furnished,” rather than “filed,” with the SEC is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, except as expressly incorporated herein.

You can obtain a copy of any of the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement at no cost by writing to or telephoning us at the following address and telephone number: Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. at 16435 North Scottsdale Road, Suite 320, Scottsdale, Arizona 85254, telephone (480) 998-3478.

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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and any documents we incorporate by reference herein or therein constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor from civil liability provided for such statements by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (set forth in Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act). Such statements include, in particular, statements about our plans, strategies and prospects and estimates regarding future medical office building market performance. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, as well as known and unknown risks, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. Therefore, such statements are not intended to be a guarantee of our performance in future periods. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of the terms such as “expect,” “project,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “intend,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “believe,” “continue,” “opinion,” “predict,” “potential,” “pro forma” or the negative of such terms and other comparable terminology. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date this prospectus, such prospectus supplement or such document incorporated by reference herein or therein, as applicable. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of any such forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any documents we incorporate by reference herein or therein, and we do not intend to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

Any such forward-looking statements reflect our current views about future events, are subject to unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, and are based on a number of assumptions involving judgments with respect to, among other things, future economic, competitive, and market conditions, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately. To the extent that our assumptions differ from actual results, our ability to meet such forward-looking statements, including our ability to generate positive cash flow from operations, provide dividends to stockholders, and maintain the value of our real estate properties, may be significantly hindered. The following factors, as well as any cautionary language in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and any documents we incorporate by reference herein or therein, provide examples of certain risks, uncertainties and events that could cause actual results to differ materially from those presented in our forward-looking statements:

• our ability to effectively deploy proceeds of offerings of securities;

• changes in economic conditions affecting the healthcare property sector, the commercial real estate market and the credit market;

• competition for acquisition and development of medical office buildings (“MOBs”) and other facilities that serve the healthcare industry;

• our ability to acquire or develop real properties, and to successfully operate those properties once acquired or developed;

• pandemics and other health concerns, and the measures intended to prevent their spread, including the currently ongoing COVID-19 pandemic;

• economic fluctuations in certain states in which our property investments are geographically concentrated;

• financial stability and solvency of our tenants, including the ability and willingness of our tenants or borrowers to satisfy their obligations under their respective contractual arrangements with us and our potential inability to enforce our rights under our leases during the pendency of any pandemic;

• the ability and willingness of our tenants to renew their leases with us upon expiration of the leases or our ability to reposition our properties on the same or better terms in the event of nonrenewal or in the event we exercise our right to replace an existing tenant;

• fluctuations in reimbursements from third party payors such as Medicare and Medicaid;

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• supply and demand for operating properties in the market areas in which we operate;

• changes in operating expenses of our properties including, but not limited to, expenditures for property taxes, property and liability insurance premiums, and utility rates;

• our ability and the ability of our tenants to obtain and maintain adequate property, liability and other insurance from reputable, financially stable providers;

• restrictive covenants on certain of our properties subject to ground leases that may restrict or limit the uses of our properties and the types of tenants we are able to lease to, and our ability to attract new tenants;

• the impact from damage to our properties from, or increased operating costs associated with, catastrophic weather and other natural events and the physical effects of climate change;

• retention of our senior management team and our ability to attract and retain qualified key personnel;

• legislative and regulatory changes, including changes to laws governing the taxation of real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and changes to laws governing the healthcare industry;

• changes in interest rates, including changes as a result of the potential phasing out of the London Inter-bank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”);

• the availability of capital and financing;

• restrictive covenants in our credit facilities;

• changes in our credit ratings;

• our ability to remain qualified as a REIT;

• changes in accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, policies and guidelines applicable to REITs; and

• the factors included in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and any documents we incorporate by reference herein or therein, including those set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 under the headings “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

Forward-looking statements express expectations of future events. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain as they are based on various expectations and assumptions concerning future events and they are subject to numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected. Due to these inherent uncertainties, our security holders are urged not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made. In addition, we undertake no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to projections over time, except as required by law.

These risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Additional information concerning us and our business, including additional factors that could materially affect our financial results, is included herein and in our other filings with the SEC.

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ABOUT THE COMPANY

The following highlights information about the Company and our business contained elsewhere or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. It is not complete and does not contain all of the information that you should consider before investing in any of our securities. You should carefully read this prospectus together with the more detailed information incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. is a fully integrated, self-administered and internally managed REIT, primarily focused on acquiring, owning and operating high-quality MOBs that are predominantly located on the campuses of, or aligned with, nationally or regionally recognized healthcare systems. We conduct substantially all of our operations through the Partnership. As of December 31, 2020, we owned a 98.4% interest in the Partnership. As of December 31, 2020, approximately 67% of our portfolio was located on the campuses of, or adjacent to, nationally and regionally recognized healthcare systems. Our portfolio is diversified geographically across 32 states, with no state having more than 20% of our total GLA as of December 31, 2020. We are concentrated in 20 to 25 key markets that are experiencing higher economic and demographic trends than other markets, on average, that we expect will drive demand for MOBs. As of December 31, 2020, we had approximately 1 million square feet of GLA in ten of our top 20 key markets and approximately 94% of our portfolio, based on GLA, is located in the top 75 metropolitan statistical areas, with Dallas, Houston, Boston, Tampa and Hartford/New Haven being our largest markets by investment.

Our principal executive office is located at 16435 North Scottsdale Road, Suite 320, Scottsdale, Arizona 85254 and our telephone number is (480) 998-3478. We maintain a website at www.htareit.com, at which there is additional information about us. The information found on, or otherwise accessible through, our website is not incorporated into, and does not form a part of, this prospectus or any other report or document that we or the Partnership files with or furnishes to the SEC.

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before investing in our securities, you should read and carefully consider the risks set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” under Item 1A of Part I of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which information is incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and the additional risks and other information in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein. If any of the identified risks actually occur, they could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, operating results or prospects and the trading price of our securities. Additional risks and uncertainties that we do not presently know or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business, financial condition, operating results and prospects and the trading price of our securities.

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We will not receive any cash proceeds from the issuance of the Class A common stock upon redemption of the partnership units by the holders thereof. Although we will incur expenses in connection with the registration of the shares of Class A common stock covered by this prospectus, we will not receive any cash proceeds upon their issuance.

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DESCRIPTION OF HEALTHCARE TRUST OF AMERICA, INC. CAPITAL STOCK

This summary does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, the provisions of HTA’s Fifth Articles of Amendment and Restatement, as amended, supplemented and corrected from time to time (the “Charter”), HTA’s Bylaws (the “Bylaws”) and all applicable provisions of Maryland law. The Charter and Bylaws are incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The particular terms of any offering of our securities will be described in a prospectus supplement relating to such offering.

General

Under the Charter, HTA has authority to issue a total of 1,200,000,000 shares of stock. Of the total shares authorized, 1,000,000,000 shares are classified as common stock with a par value of $0.01 per share, all of which are classified as Class A common stock, and 200,000,000 shares are classified as preferred stock with a par value of $0.01 per share. As of February 18, 2021, approximately 218,745,900 shares of Class A common stock were issued and outstanding and no shares of preferred stock were issued and outstanding. In addition, the board of directors of HTA (the “board of directors”) may amend the Charter from time to time, with the approval of a majority of the entire board of directors and without stockholder approval, to increase or decrease the aggregate number of shares of stock or the number of shares of stock of any class or series that HTA has authority to issue. Under Maryland law, HTA’s stockholders are generally not personally liable for HTA’s debts and obligations solely as a result of their status as stockholders.

Common Stock

All shares of HTA’s common stock (the “common stock”) have equal rights as to earnings, assets, dividends and voting. Subject to the Charter restrictions on the transfer and ownership of HTA’s stock and the preferential rights of holders of any other class or series of HTA’s stock, distributions may be made to the holders of the common stock if, as and when authorized by the board of directors out of funds legally available therefor. Shares of common stock generally have no preemptive, preferential exchange, conversion, sinking fund or redemption rights and are freely transferable, except where their transfer is restricted by federal and state securities laws, by contract or by the restrictions in the Charter. Holders of shares of common stock have no appraisal rights unless the board of directors determines that appraisal rights apply, with respect to all or any classes or series of stock, to one or more transactions occurring after the date of such determination in connection with which stockholders would otherwise be entitled to exercise appraisal rights. In the event of HTA’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up, each share of common stock would be entitled to share ratably in all of HTA’s assets that are legally available for distribution after payment of or adequate provision for all of HTA’s known debts and other liabilities and subject to any preferential rights of holders of HTA’s preferred stock (the “preferred stock”), if any preferred stock is outstanding at such time, and the Charter restrictions on the transfer and ownership of HTA’s stock. Subject to the Charter restrictions on the transfer and ownership of HTA’s stock and except as may otherwise be specified in the terms of any class or series of common stock, each share of common stock entitles the holder to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, including the election of directors. Except as may be provided with respect to any other class or series of stock, the holders of common stock will possess exclusive voting power. Holders of all classes of common stock will vote together as a single class.

Under Maryland law, a Maryland corporation generally cannot amend its charter, consolidate or merge with, or convert to, another entity, sell all or substantially all of its assets, engage in a share exchange or dissolve unless the action is advised by the board of directors and approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast with respect to such matter. However, a Maryland corporation may provide in its charter for approval of these matters by a lesser percentage, but not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast with respect to such matter. As permitted by Maryland law, the Charter provides that any of these actions may be approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast with respect to such matter. In addition, all other matters to be

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voted on by stockholders, other than a contested election of directors (in which case directors shall be elected by the vote of a plurality of the votes cast by the stockholders entitled to vote on the election of directors present in person or by proxy at a meeting of stockholders duly called and at which a quorum is present and amendment of the Bylaws by stockholders which requires approval by a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter), must be approved by a majority of the votes cast by stockholders, voting together as a single class, at a meeting at which a quorum is present, subject to any voting rights granted to holders of any then outstanding preferred stock. There is no cumulative voting in the election of directors, which means that holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock can elect all of HTA’s directors.

Power to Reclassify Unissued Shares of Stock

The Charter authorizes the board of directors to classify and reclassify any unissued shares of common or preferred stock into other classes or series of shares of stock, so long as the aggregate number of all shares of all classes or series of stock that the board of directors has authority to issue does not exceed the total number of authorized shares of common and preferred stock as provided in the Charter. Prior to the issuance of shares of each class or series, the board of directors is required by Maryland law and by the Charter to set, subject to the Charter restrictions on transfer and ownership of shares of stock, the terms, preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption for each class or series. Therefore, the board of directors could authorize the issuance of shares of common or preferred stock with terms and conditions that could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control or other transaction that might involve a premium price for HTA’s shares of common stock or otherwise be in the best interests of HTA’s stockholders. No shares of preferred stock are presently outstanding, and we have no present plans to issue any shares of preferred stock.

Power to Increase or Decrease Authorized Shares of Common Stock and Issue Additional Shares of Common and Preferred Stock

We believe that the power of the board of directors to amend the Charter from time to time to increase or decrease the number of authorized shares of stock or the number of authorized shares of stock of any class or series, to issue additional authorized but unissued shares of common or preferred stock and to classify or reclassify unissued shares of common or preferred stock and thereafter to issue such classified or reclassified shares of stock will provide us with increased flexibility in structuring possible future financings and acquisitions and in meeting other needs that might arise. The additional classes or series, as well as the shares of common stock, will be available for issuance without further action by HTA’s stockholders, unless such action is required by applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange or market system on which HTA’s securities may be listed or traded. Therefore, the board of directors could authorize HTA to issue a class or series that could, depending upon the terms of the particular class or series, delay, defer or prevent a change in control or other transaction that might involve a premium price for HTA’s shares of common stock or otherwise be in the best interests of HTA’s stockholders.

Preferred Stock

The Charter authorizes the board of directors to designate and issue one or more classes or series of preferred stock without stockholder approval, and to establish the preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption of each class or series of preferred stock so issued. Because the board of directors has the power to establish the preferences and rights of each class or series of preferred stock, it may afford the holders of any class or series of preferred stock preferences, powers and rights senior to the rights of holders of common stock. If HTA ever created and issued preferred stock with a distribution preference over common stock, payment of any distribution preferences of outstanding preferred stock would reduce the amount of funds available for the payment of distributions on the common stock. Further, holders of preferred stock are normally entitled to receive a liquidation preference in the event HTA liquidates, dissolves or winds up before any payment is made

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to the common stockholders, likely reducing the amount common stockholders would otherwise receive upon such an occurrence. In addition, under certain circumstances, the issuance of preferred stock may render more difficult or tend to discourage a merger, tender offer or proxy contest, the assumption of control by a holder of a large block of HTA’s securities, or the removal of incumbent management. The board of directors has no present plans to issue any preferred stock, but may do so at any time in the future without stockholder approval.

Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer of Shares

In order for us to continue to qualify as a REIT, not more than 50% of HTA’s outstanding shares may be owned by any five or fewer individuals during the last half of any taxable year. In addition, the outstanding shares must be owned by 100 or more persons during at least 335 days of a 12-month taxable year or during a proportionate part of a shorter taxable year. See “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” for further discussion of this topic. We may prohibit certain acquisitions and transfers of shares so as to ensure our continued qualification as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). However, we cannot assure you that this prohibition will be effective.

The Charter contains a limitation on ownership that prohibits any individual, entity or group from directly or indirectly acquiring beneficial ownership of more than 9.8% of the value of HTA’s then aggregate outstanding shares of stock of any class or series (which includes common stock and any preferred stock HTA may issue) or more than 9.8% of the value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of HTA’s then outstanding common stock.

Any attempted transfer of HTA’s stock which, if effective, would result in HTA’s stock being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 persons will be null and void. Any attempted transfer of HTA’s stock which, if effective, would result in violation of the ownership limits discussed above or in HTA being “closely held” under Section 856(h) of the Code or otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT,will cause the number of shares causing the violation (rounded up to the nearest whole share) to be automatically transferred to a trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more charitable beneficiaries, and the proposed transferee will not acquire any rights in the shares. The automatic transfer will be deemed to be effective as of the close of business on the business day prior to the date of the transfer. We will designate a trustee of the share trust that will not be affiliated with us. We will also name one or more charitable organizations as a beneficiary of the share trust. Shares-in-trust will remain issued and outstanding shares and will be entitled to the same rights and privileges as all other shares of the same class or series. The trustee will receive all distributions on the shares-in-trust and will hold such distributions in trust for the benefit of the beneficiary. The trustee will vote all shares-in-trust during the period they are held in trust and, subject to Maryland law, will have the authority to rescind as void any vote cast by the proposed transferee prior to our discovery that the shares have been transferred to the share trust and to recast the vote in accordance with the desires of the trustee acting for the benefit of the charitable beneficiary.

The trustee of the trust will be empowered to sell the shares-in-trust to a qualified person selected by the trustee and to distribute to the applicable prohibited owner an amount equal to the lesser of (1) the sales proceeds received by the trust for such shares-in-trust or (2) (A) if the prohibited owner was a transferee for value, the price paid by the prohibited owner for such shares-in-trust or (B) if the prohibited owner was not a transferee or was a transferee but did not give value for the shares-in-trust, the market price on the day of the event causing the shares to be held in trust. In addition, all shares-in-trust will be deemed to have been offered for sale to us, or our designee, at a price per share equal to the lesser of (1) the price per share in the transaction that created such shares-in-trust (or, in the case of a devise or gift, the market price of such shares at the time of such devise or gift) and (2) the market price on the date we, or our designee, accept such offer. The trustee or we may reduce the amount payable to the prohibited owner by the amount of dividends and other distributions that have been paid to the prohibited owner and are owed by the prohibited owner to the trustee. Any amount received by the trustee in excess of the amount to be paid to the prohibited owner will be distributed to the beneficiary of the trust.

Any person who acquires shares in violation of the foregoing restrictions or who would have owned shares that resulted in a transfer to any such trust is required to give immediate written notice to us of such event. Any

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person who proposes or attempts such a transaction must give us at least 15 days prior written notice. Such person shall provide to us such other information as we may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such transfer on our qualification as a REIT.

The foregoing restrictions continue to apply until the board of directors determines it is no longer in our best interests to attempt to, or to continue to, qualify as a REIT or that compliance is no longer required for REIT qualification.

The board of directors, in its sole discretion, may exempt (prospectively or retroactively) a person from the limitation on ownership of more than 9.8% of the value of HTA’s then aggregate outstanding shares of stock of any class or series (which includes common stock and any preferred stock HTA may issue) or more than 9.8% of the value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of HTA’s then outstanding common stock. However, the board of directors may not exempt any person whose ownership of HTA’s outstanding stock would result in HTA being “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Code or otherwise would result in our failing to qualify as a REIT. In order to be considered by the board of directors for exemption, a person also must not own, directly or indirectly, an interest in any of our tenants (or a tenant of any entity which we own or control) that would cause us to own, directly or indirectly, more than a 9.9% interest in the tenant. The person seeking an exemption must represent to the satisfaction of the board of directors that it will not violate these two restrictions. The person also must agree that any violation or attempted violation of these restrictions will result in the automatic transfer of the shares of stock causing the violation to the share trust.

Any stockholder of record who owns more than 5.0% (or such lower level as required by the Code and the regulations thereunder) of the outstanding shares during any taxable year will be asked to deliver a statement or affidavit setting forth the name and address of such record owner, the number of shares beneficially owned by such stockholder, a description of the manner in which such shares are held and such additional information regarding the beneficial ownership of the shares as we may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such actual or beneficial ownership on our qualification as a REIT and to ensure compliance with the ownership limits. In addition, any person who is a beneficial owner or constructive owner of shares of our stock and any person (including the stockholder of record) who is holding shares of our stock for a beneficial owner or constructive owner must, on request, disclose to us in writing such information as we may request in order to determine our status as a REIT or to comply, or determine our compliance, with the requirements of any taxing or governmental authority.

Listing

The Class A common stock is listed on the NYSE under the symbol “HTA.”

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for the common stock is Computershare.

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CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF MARYLAND LAW AND OF THE HEALTHCARE TRUST OF

AMERICA, INC. CHARTER AND BYLAWS

The following is a summary of certain provisions of Maryland law and of the Charter and Bylaws. While we believe that the following description covers the material aspects of these provisions, the description may not contain all of the information that is important to you. We encourage you to read carefully this entire prospectus, the Charter and Bylaws and the relevant provisions of Maryland law for a more complete understanding of these provisions. Copies of the Charter and Bylaws are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and the following summary, to the extent it relates to those documents, is qualified in its entirety by reference thereto. See “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”

Number of Directors; Vacancies

The Charter provides that the number of directors will be six, which number may be increased or decreased in accordance with the Bylaws, provided that the total number of directors will not be fewer than three, nor more than 15. The Bylaws provide that a majority of HTA’s entire board of directors may at any time increase or decrease the number of directors, provided that the total number of directors will not be fewer than the minimum number required by the MGCL or the Charter, nor more than 15. Currently there are eight directors serving on the board of directors.

The Charter and Bylaws provide that, except as may be provided by the board of directors in setting the terms of any class or series of stock, any and all vacancies on the board of directors may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors in office, even if the remaining directors do not constitute a quorum, and any individual elected to fill such vacancy will serve for the remainder of the full term of the directorship in which the vacancy occurred and until a successor is duly elected and qualifies. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Charter provides that independent directors will nominate replacements for vacancies among the independent directors’ positions.

Annual Elections

Each of HTA’s directors is elected by HTA’s stockholders to serve for a one-year term and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualifies. Directors in uncontested elections are elected by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total votes cast for and against such nominee at a duly called meeting of stockholders at which a quorum is present, and directors in contested elections are elected by a plurality of all votes cast.

Removal of Directors

The Charter provides that, subject to the rights, if any, of holders of any class or series of preferred stock to elect or remove one or more directors, a director may be removed by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast generally in the election of directors.

Calling of Special Meetings of Stockholders

The Charter and Bylaws provide that special meetings of stockholders may be called by the board of directors, the independent directors, the chairman of the board of directors or HTA’s president or chief executive officer and must be called by HTA’s secretary to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of stockholders upon the written request of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at such meeting (subject to the stockholders’ compliance with certain procedures set forth in the Bylaws).

Action by Stockholders

According to the Bylaws, the affirmative vote of a majority of the total votes cast for and against such nominee at a meeting of stockholders duly called at which a quorum is present shall be required to elect a

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director in uncontested elections, and a majority of the votes cast at a meeting of stockholders duly called at which a quorum is present shall be sufficient to approve any other matter which may properly come before a meeting, unless more than a majority of votes cast is required by the MGCL, the Charter or the Bylaws. These provisions, combined with the requirements of the Bylaws regarding advance notice of nominations and other business to be considered at a meeting of stockholders discussed below and the calling of a stockholder-requested special meeting of stockholders discussed above, may have the effect of delaying consideration of a stockholder proposal. Common stockholders may take action without a meeting only if a unanimous consent setting forth the action is given in writing or by electronic transmission by each common stockholder entitled to vote on the matter.

Advance Notice Provisions for Stockholder Nominations and Stockholder Proposals

The Bylaws provide that, with respect to an annual meeting of stockholders, nominations of individuals for election to the board of directors and the proposal of other business to be considered by stockholders may be made only (i) pursuant to our notice of meeting, (ii) by or at the direction of the board of directors or (iii) by a stockholder who was a stockholder of record both at the time of giving of notice by such stockholder as provided for in the Bylaws and at the time of the annual meeting and who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated or on any such other business and who has complied with the advance notice procedures and provided the information required by the Bylaws. With respect to special meetings of stockholders, only the business specified in the notice of the meeting may be brought before the meeting. Nominations of individuals for election to the board of directors at a special meeting may be made only (i) by or at the direction of the board of directors or (ii) provided that the special meeting has been called in accordance with the Bylaws for the purpose of electing directors, by a stockholder who was a stockholder of record both at the time of giving of notice by such stockholder as provided for in the Bylaws and at the time of the special meeting, and who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated and who has complied with the advance notice provisions and provided the information required by the Bylaws.

The purpose of requiring stockholders to give HTA advance notice of nominations and other business is to afford the board of directors a meaningful opportunity to consider the qualifications of the proposed nominees and the advisability of any other proposed business and, to the extent deemed necessary or desirable by the board of directors, to inform stockholders and make recommendations about such nominees or business. Although the Bylaws do not give the board of directors any power to disapprove stockholder nominations for the election of directors or proposals recommending certain action, they may have the effect of precluding a contest for the election of directors or the consideration of stockholder proposals if proper procedures are not followed and of discouraging or deterring a third party from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect its own slate of directors or to approve its own proposal without regard to whether consideration of such nominees or proposals might be harmful or beneficial to HTA and its stockholders.

Approval of Extraordinary Corporate Actions, Amendment of Charter

Under Maryland law, a Maryland corporation generally cannot amend its charter, consolidate or merge with, or convert to, another entity, sell all or substantially all of its assets, engage in a share exchange or dissolve unless the action is declared advisable by the board of directors and approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast with respect to such matter. However, a Maryland corporation may provide in its charter for approval of these matters by a lesser percentage, but not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast with respect to such matter. As permitted by Maryland law, the Charter provides that any of these actions may be approved by the stockholders entitled to cast at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

Proxy Access

The Bylaws include provisions permitting, subject to certain eligibility, procedural and disclosure requirements, qualifying stockholders, or a qualifying group of no more than 20 stockholders, who have

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maintained continuous ownership of at least three percent of our outstanding shares of Class A common stock for at least three years to require us to include in our proxy materials for an annual meeting of stockholders a number of director nominees not to exceed the greater of two nominees or 20 percent of the number of directors up for election.

Amendment of Bylaws

The board of directors has the power to adopt, alter or repeal any provision of the Bylaws and to make new Bylaws. In addition, stockholders may alter or repeal any provision of the Bylaws and adopt new Bylaws, in each case, to the extent permitted by and consistent with the charter, the bylaws and applicable law, with the approval of a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

No Stockholder Rights Plan

HTA has no stockholder rights plan. In the future, HTA does not intend to adopt a stockholder rights plan unless HTA’s stockholders approve in advance the adoption of a plan or, if adopted by the board of directors, HTA submits the stockholder rights plan to HTA’s stockholders for a ratification vote within 12 months of adoption or the plan will terminate.

Business Combinations

Under the MGCL, certain “business combinations” (including a merger, consolidation, share exchange or, in certain circumstances, an asset transfer or issuance or reclassification of equity securities) between a Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder (defined as any person who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of the voting power of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock or an affiliate or associate of the corporation who, at any time within the two-year period immediately prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 10% or more of the voting power of the then-outstanding stock of the corporation), or an affiliate of an interested stockholder, in either case after the date on which the corporation had 100 or more beneficial owners of stock, are prohibited for five years after the most recent date on which the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. A person is not an interested stockholder under the statute if the board of directors approved in advance the transaction by which the person otherwise would have become an interested stockholder. The board of directors may provide that its approval is subject to compliance with any terms and conditions determined by it.

Any such business combination entered into after the five-year prohibition must be recommended by the board of directors of such corporation and approved by the affirmative vote of at least (i) 80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding shares of voting stock of the corporation and (ii) two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of voting stock of the corporation other than shares held by the interested stockholder with whom (or with whose affiliate) the business combination is to be effected, unless, among other conditions, the corporation’s common stockholders receive a minimum price (as defined in the MGCL) for their shares and the consideration is received in cash or in the same form as previously paid by the interested stockholder for its shares.

These provisions of the MGCL do not apply, however, to business combinations that are approved or exempted by a board of directors prior to the time that the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. The board of directors has adopted a resolution exempting any business combination between HTA and any other person or entity from the business combination provisions of the MGCL, provided that such business combination is first approved by the board of directors.

As a result, any person may be able to enter into business combinations with HTA that may not be in the best interests of our stockholders without compliance by HTA with the supermajority vote requirements and other provisions of the statute. This resolution, however, may be altered or repealed in whole or in part at any

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time. If this resolution is repealed, or the board of directors does not otherwise approve a business combination, the statute may discourage others from trying to acquire control of HTA and increase the difficulty of consummating any offer.

Control Share Acquisitions

The MGCL provides that holders of “control shares” of a Maryland corporation acquired in a “control share acquisition” have no voting rights except to the extent approved at a special meeting by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, excluding shares of stock of a corporation in respect of which any of the following persons is entitled to exercise or direct the exercise of the voting power of shares of stock of the corporation in the election of directors: (i) a person who makes or proposes to make a control share acquisition, (ii) an officer of the corporation or (iii) an employee of the corporation who is also a director of the corporation. “Control shares” are voting shares of stock which, if aggregated with all other such shares of stock previously acquired by the acquiror or in respect of which the acquiror is able to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power (except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), would entitle the acquiror to exercise voting power in electing directors within one of the following ranges of voting power: (i) one-tenth or more but less than one-third, (ii) one-third or more but less than a majority, or (iii) a majority or more of all voting power. Control shares do not include shares the acquiring person is then entitled to vote as a result of having previously obtained stockholder approval. A “control share acquisition” means the acquisition of issued and outstanding control shares, subject to certain exceptions.

A person who has made or proposes to make a control share acquisition, upon satisfaction of certain conditions (including an undertaking to pay expenses), may compel the board of directors to call a special meeting of stockholders to be held within 50 days of demand to consider the voting rights of the shares. If no request for a meeting is made, the corporation may itself present the question at any stockholders meeting.

If voting rights are not approved at the meeting or if the acquiring person does not deliver an acquiring person statement as required by the statute, then, subject to certain conditions and limitations, the corporation may redeem any or all of the control shares (except those for which voting rights have previously been approved) for fair value determined, without regard to the absence of voting rights for the control shares, as of the date of the last control share acquisition by the acquiror or, if a meeting of stockholders is held at which the voting rights of such shares are considered and not approved, as of the date of the meeting. If voting rights for control shares are approved at a stockholders meeting and the acquiror becomes entitled to vote a majority of the shares entitled to vote, all other stockholders may exercise appraisal rights. The fair value of the shares as determined for purposes of appraisal rights may not be less than the highest price per share paid by the acquiror in the control share acquisition.

The control share acquisition statute does not apply to shares acquired in a merger, consolidation or share exchange if the corporation is a party to the transactions or to acquisitions approved or exempted by the charter or bylaws of the corporation.

The Bylaws exempt any and all acquisitions of shares of HTA’s stock from the control share acquisition statute. According to the Bylaws, this exemption may be repealed, in whole or in part, at any time, whether before or after an acquisition of control shares and, upon such repeal, may, to the extent provided in any successor bylaw, apply to any prior or subsequent share acquisition.

Certain Elective Provisions of Maryland Law

Title 3, Subtitle 8 of the MGCL permits a Maryland corporation with a class of equity securities registered under the Exchange Act and at least three independent directors who are not officers or employees of the corporation or affiliated with an acquiring person, to elect to be subject, by provision in its charter or bylaws or a resolution of its board of directors and notwithstanding any contrary provision in the charter or bylaws, to any of

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(i) a classified board, (ii) a two-thirds vote requirement for removing a director, (iii) a requirement that the number of directors be fixed only by vote of the directors, (iv) a requirement that a vacancy on the board be filled only by the remaining directors and for the remainder of the full term of the class of directors in which the vacancy occurred, or (v) a majority requirement for the calling of a stockholder-requested special meeting of stockholders. Pursuant to Subtitle 8, HTA has elected that, except as may be provided by the board of directors in setting the terms of any class or series of stock, any and all vacancies on the board of directors may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors in office, even if the remaining directors do not constitute a quorum, and any individual elected to fill such vacancy will serve for the remainder of the full term of the directorship in which the vacancy occurred and until a successor is duly elected and qualifies. Through provisions in the Charter and Bylaws unrelated to Subtitle 8, HTA requires, unless called by the board of directors, HTA’s independent directors, the chairman of the board of directors or HTA’s president or chief executive officer, the written request of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of stockholders to call a special meeting to act on such matter. Pursuant to a resolution adopted by the board of directors, HTA is prohibited from classifying the board under Subtitle 8 unless stockholders entitled to vote generally in the election of directors approve a proposal to repeal such resolution by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on the matter. However, the board of directors could elect to provide for any of the remaining provisions.

Anti-Takeover Effect of Certain Provisions of Maryland Law and of The Charter and Bylaws

The provisions of the MGCL, the Charter and the Bylaws described above could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control of HTA that might involve a premium price for holders of the common stock or otherwise be in the best interests of HTA’s stockholders. Likewise, if the board of directors were to opt in to the business combination provisions of the MGCL or certain of the provisions of Subtitle 8 of Title 3 of the MGCL or if the provision in the Bylaws opting out of the control share acquisition provisions of the MGCL were amended or rescinded, these provisions of the MGCL could have similar anti-takeover effects.

Interested Director and Officer Transactions

Pursuant to the MGCL, a contract or other transaction between HTA and a director or between HTA and any other corporation or other entity in which any of HTA’s directors is a director or has a material financial interest is not void or voidable solely on the grounds of such common directorship or interest, the presence of such director at the meeting at which the contract or transaction is authorized, approved or ratified or the counting of the director’s vote in favor thereof, if:

• the fact of the common directorship or interest is disclosed or known to the board of directors or a committee of the board of directors, and the board of directors or such committee authorizes, approves or ratifies the transaction or contract by the affirmative vote of a majority of disinterested directors, even if the disinterested directors constitute less than a quorum;

• the fact of the common directorship or interest is disclosed or known to HTA’s stockholders entitled to vote thereon, and the transaction or contract is authorized, approved or ratified by a majority of the votes cast by the stockholders entitled to vote, excluding votes cast by the interested director or corporation or other entity; or

• the transaction or contract is fair and reasonable to HTA.

Purchase and Lease of Assets. The Charter provides that HTA may purchase or lease assets from an officer or director or affiliate thereof upon a finding by a majority of directors, including a majority of independent directors, not otherwise interested in the transaction that such transaction is fair and reasonable to HTA and at a price no greater than the cost of the asset to such officer, director or affiliate thereof or, if the price to HTA is in excess of such cost, that substantial justification for such excess exists and such excess is reasonable. In no event shall the purchase price of any property to HTA exceed its current appraised value. In addition, the Charter

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provides that an officer, director or affiliate thereof may purchase or lease assets from HTA only upon a finding by a majority of directors, including a majority of independent directors, not otherwise interested in the transaction that such transaction is fair and reasonable to HTA and at a price no less than its current appraised value.

Other Transactions. The Charter also provides that we will not engage in any other transaction with an officer, director or affiliate thereof unless a majority of directors, including a majority of independent directors, not otherwise interested in such transaction approve such transaction as fair and reasonable to HTA and on terms and conditions not less favorable to HTA than those available from unaffiliated third parties. The Charter prohibits HTA from making loans to an officer, director or affiliate thereof except certain mortgages or loans to HTA’s wholly owned subsidiaries. In addition, HTA’s officers and directors and any affiliates thereof may not make loans to HTA, or to joint ventures in which HTA is a co-venturer, unless approved by a majority of directors, including a majority of independent directors, not otherwise interested in such transaction as fair, competitive, and commercially reasonable, and no less favorable to HTA than comparable loans between unaffiliated parties.

Related Party Transactions Policy. HTA’s related party transactions policy is included as part of HTA’s code of ethics. Under HTA’s code of ethics, all transactions involving directors, officers and employees involving a conflict of interest must be approved by a majority of the board of directors (including a majority of the disinterested independent directors) as fair and reasonable to HTA and on terms not less favorable to HTA than those available from third parties, even if less than a quorum. Where appropriate in the judgment of the disinterested directors, the board of directors may obtain a fairness opinion or engage independent counsel to represent the interests of non-affiliated security holders, although the board of directors will have no obligation to do so.

Indemnification and Limitation of Directors’ and Officers’ Liability

Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages, except for liability resulting from (a) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or (b) active and deliberate dishonesty that is established by a final judgment and is material to the cause of action. The Charter contains a provision that eliminates such liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.

The Charter and Bylaws provide that, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, HTA is obligated to indemnify any present or former director or officer or any individual who, while a director or officer of HTA and at our request, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, partner, member, manager or trustee, from and against any claim or liability to which that individual may become subject or which that individual may incur by reason of his or her service in any such capacity and to pay or reimburse his or her reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding, without requiring a preliminary determination of the ultimate entitlement to indemnification.

The Charter and Bylaws also permit HTA to indemnify and advance expenses to any person who served a predecessor of HTA in any of the capacities described above and to any employee or agent of our company or a predecessor of our company.

The MGCL requires a corporation (unless its charter provides otherwise, which the Charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made or threatened to be made a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity. The MGCL permits a corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in

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connection with any proceeding to which they may be made or are threatened to be made a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that:

• the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (1) was committed in bad faith or (2) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty;

• the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services; or

• in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful.

However, under the MGCL, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation or for a judgment of liability on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received. A court may order indemnification if it determines that the director or officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, even though the director or officer did not meet the prescribed standard of conduct or was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received. However, indemnification for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation, or for a judgment of liability on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received, is limited to expenses.

In addition, the MGCL permits a corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer upon the corporation’s receipt of:

• a written affirmation by the director or officer of his good faith belief that he has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the corporation; and

• a written undertaking by the director or officer or on the director’s or officer’s behalf to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the corporation if it is ultimately determined that the director or officer did not meet the standard of conduct.

Insofar as the foregoing provisions permit indemnification of directors, officers or persons controlling HTA for liability arising under the Securities Act, HTA has been informed that in the opinion of the SEC, this indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

HTA has entered into indemnification agreements with each of HTA’s directors and executive officers whereby HTA indemnifies such directors and executive officers against all expenses and liabilities, and agrees to pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding if such director or executive officer is made or threatened to be made a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity to the fullest extent permitted by Maryland law, subject to limited exceptions. These indemnification agreements also provide that upon an application for indemnity by a director or executive officer to a court of appropriate jurisdiction, such court may order HTA to indemnify such director or executive officer.

REIT Qualification

The Charter provides that the board of directors may revoke or otherwise terminate HTA’s REIT election, without approval of HTA’s stockholders, if it determines that it is no longer in HTA’s best interests to continue to qualify as a REIT.

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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following summary addresses U.S. federal income tax considerations related to our election to be subject to taxation as a REIT and the ownership and disposition of our Class A common stock that we anticipate being material to holders of our stock. This summary does not address the consequence of an investment in shares of the preferred stock, debt securities, warrants, rights or units. The tax considerations of such an investment will be discussed in the applicable prospectus supplement. This summary does not address any foreign, state, or local tax consequences of holding our Class A common stock. The provisions of the Code concerning the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a REIT are highly technical and complex; the following discussion sets forth only certain aspects of those provisions. This summary is intended to provide you with general information only and is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning.

This summary is based on provisions of the Code, applicable final and temporary Treasury Regulations, judicial decisions, and administrative rulings and practice, all in effect as of the date of this prospectus, and should not be construed as legal or tax advice. No assurance can be given that future legislative or administrative changes or judicial decisions will not affect the accuracy of the descriptions or conclusions contained in this summary. In addition, any such changes may be retroactive and apply to transactions entered into prior to the date of their enactment, promulgation or release. We do not expect to seek a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) regarding any of the U.S. federal income tax issues discussed in this prospectus, and no assurance can be given that the IRS will not challenge any of the positions we take and that such a challenge will not succeed. This discussion does not purport to address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to you in light of your particular investment circumstances, or if you are a type of investor subject to special tax rules. Prospective purchasers of our securities are urged to consult their tax advisors prior to any investment in our securities concerning the potential U.S. federal, state, local, and foreign tax consequences of the investment with specific reference to their own tax situations.

Except as otherwise noted, references in this discussion of “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” to “we,” “our,” “us” and “our Company” refer to Healthcare Trust of America, Inc.

Taxation of Our Company

We have elected to be taxed as a REIT under Sections 856 through 860 of the Code. We believe that we have been organized and operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code beginning with our taxable year ended December 31, 2007, and that our intended manner of operation will enable us to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

In the opinion of McDermott Will & Emery, LLP, we qualified to be taxed as a REIT under the federal income tax laws for our taxable years ended December 31, 2007 through December 31, 2020, and our organization and current and proposed method of operation will enable us to continue to qualify as a REIT for our taxable year ending December 31, 2021 and thereafter. You should be aware that McDermott Will & Emery LLP’s opinion is based on existing U.S. federal income tax law governing qualification as a REIT, which is subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis, is not binding on the IRS or any court, and speaks of the date issued. In addition, McDermott Will & Emery LLP’s opinion is based on customary assumptions and is conditioned upon certain representations made by us as to factual matters, including representations regarding the nature of our assets and the future conduct of our business, all of which are described in the opinion. Moreover, our continued qualification and taxation as a REIT depends on our ability to meet, on a continuing basis, through actual operating results, certain qualification tests in the federal income tax laws. Those qualification tests involve the percentage of our income that we earn from specified sources, the percentages of our assets that fall within specified categories, the diversity of our share ownership and the percentage of our earnings that we distribute. While McDermott Will & Emery LLP has reviewed those matters in connection with the foregoing opinion, McDermott Will & Emery LLP will not review our compliance with those tests on a continuing basis.

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Accordingly, no assurance can be given that the actual results of our operations for any particular taxable year will satisfy such requirements. For a discussion of the tax consequences of our failure to qualify as a REIT, see “—Qualification as a REIT—Failure to Qualify.”

If we qualify as a REIT, we generally will be allowed to deduct dividends paid to our stockholders, and, as a result, we generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on that portion of our ordinary income and net capital gain that we currently distribute to our stockholders. We intend to make distributions to our stockholders on a regular basis as necessary to avoid material U.S. federal income tax and to comply with the REIT requirements. See “—Qualification as a REIT—Annual Distribution Requirements” below.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, even if we qualify for taxation as a REIT, we nonetheless may be subject to U.S. federal income tax in certain circumstances, including the following:

• We may be subject to the “alternative minimum tax” for the years beginning on or before December 31, 2017;

• We will be required to pay U.S. federal income tax on our undistributed REIT taxable income, including net capital gain;

• We may be subject to tax at the highest corporate rate on certain income from “foreclosure property” (generally, property acquired by reason of default on a lease or indebtedness held by us);

• We will be subject to a 100% U.S. federal income tax on net income from “prohibited transactions” (generally, certain sales or other dispositions of property, sometimes referred to as “dealer property,” held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business, other than foreclosure property) unless the gain is realized in a “taxable REIT subsidiary” (“TRS”), or such property has been held by us for two years and certain other requirements are satisfied;

• If we fail to satisfy the 75% gross income test or the 95% gross income test (discussed below), but nonetheless maintain our qualification as a REIT pursuant to certain relief provisions, we will be subject to a 100% U.S. federal income tax on the greater of (i) the amount by which we fail the 75% gross income test or (ii) the amount by which we fail the 95% gross income test, in either case, multiplied by a fraction intended to reflect our profitability;

• If we fail to satisfy any of the asset tests, other than the 5% or the 10% asset tests that qualify under the De Minimis Exception, and the failure qualifies under the General Exception, as described below under “—Qualification as a REIT—Asset Tests,” then we will have to pay an excise tax equal to the greater of (i) $50,000 and (ii) an amount determined by multiplying the net income generated during a specified period by the assets that caused the failure by the highest U.S. federal income tax applicable to corporations;

• If we fail to satisfy any REIT requirements other than the income test or asset test requirements, described below under “—Qualification as a REIT—Income Tests” and “—Qualification as a REIT— Asset Tests,” respectively, and we qualify for a reasonable cause exception, then we will have to pay a penalty equal to $50,000 for each such failure;

• We will be subject to a 4% excise tax if certain distribution requirements are not satisfied;

• We may be required to pay monetary penalties to the IRS in certain circumstances, including if we fail to meet record-keeping requirements intended to monitor our compliance with rules relating to the composition of a REIT’s stockholders, as described below in “—Recordkeeping Requirements;”

• If we dispose of an asset acquired by us from a C corporation in a transaction in which we took the C corporation’s tax basis in the asset, we may be subject to tax at the highest regular corporate rate on the appreciation inherent in such asset as of the date of acquisition by us;

• We will be required to pay a 100% tax on any re-determined rents, re-determined deductions and excess interest. In general, re-determined rents are rents from real property that are overstated as a

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result of services furnished to any of our non-TRS tenants by any TRS in which we hold an interest. Re-determined deductions and excess interest generally represent amounts that are deducted by a TRS for amounts paid to us that are in excess of the amounts that would have been deducted based on arm’s-length negotiations;

• We will be subject to a 100% tax on certain income (net of certain deductions) imputed to a TRS, as a result of re-determining or reallocating income among related or commonly controlled entities; and

• Income earned by any TRS in which we hold an interest or any other subsidiaries that are taxable as C corporations will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates.

No assurance can be given that the amount of any such U.S. federal income taxes will not be substantial. In addition, we and our subsidiaries may be subject to a variety of taxes, including payroll taxes and state, local and foreign income, property and other taxes on assets and operations. We could also be subject to tax in situations and on transactions not presently contemplated.

Qualification as a REIT

In General

The REIT provisions of the Code apply to a domestic corporation, trust, or association that properly elects to be taxed as a REIT (i) that is managed by one or more trustees or directors, (ii) the beneficial ownership of which is evidenced by transferable shares or by transferable certificates of beneficial interest, (iii) that would be taxable as a domestic corporation but for Sections 856 through 860 of the Code, (iv) that is neither a financial institution nor an insurance company, (v) that uses a calendar year for U.S. federal income tax purposes and complies with applicable recordkeeping requirements, and (vi) that meets the additional requirements discussed below. We have adopted December 31 as our year end, and thereby satisfy requirement (v) above.

Ownership Tests

In order to qualify as a REIT, commencing with our second REIT taxable year, (i) the beneficial ownership of our stock must be held by 100 or more persons during at least 335 days of a 12-month taxable year (or during a proportionate part of a taxable year of less than 12 months) for each of our taxable years and (ii) during the last half of each taxable year, no more than 50% in value of our stock may be owned, directly or indirectly, by or for five or fewer individuals (the “5/50 Test”). Stock ownership for purposes of the 5/50 Test is determined by applying the constructive ownership provisions of Section 544(a) of the Code, subject to certain modifications. The term “individual” for purposes of the 5/50 Test includes a private foundation, a trust providing for the payment of supplemental unemployment compensation benefits, and a portion of a trust permanently set aside or to be used exclusively for charitable purposes. A “qualified trust” described in Section 401(a) of the Code and exempt from tax under Section 501(a) of the Code generally is not treated as an individual; rather, stock held by it is treated as owned directly by its beneficiaries in proportion to their actuarial interests in the trust.

We believe that we have satisfied and will continue to satisfy the above ownership requirements. In addition, the Charter restricts ownership and transfers of our stock that would violate these requirements, although these restrictions may not be effective in all circumstances to prevent a violation. We will be deemed to have satisfied the 5/50 Test for a particular taxable year if we have complied with all the requirements for ascertaining the ownership of our outstanding stock in that taxable year and have no reason to know that we have violated the 5/50 Test.

Income Tests

In order to maintain qualification as a REIT, we must annually satisfy two gross income requirements:

• First, at least 75% of our gross income (excluding gross income from prohibited transactions, cancellation of indebtedness income, income from certain hedging transactions and certain foreign

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currency gains) for each taxable year must be derived, directly or indirectly, from investments relating to real property or mortgages on real property or from certain types of temporary investments (or any combination thereof). Qualifying income for purposes of this 75% gross income test generally includes: (a) rents from real property, (b) interest on obligations secured by mortgages on real property or on interests in real property, (c) dividends or other distributions on, and gain from the sale of, shares in other REITs, (d) gain from the sale of real estate assets (other than gain from prohibited transactions and excluding for this purpose debt instruments that would not be real estate assets but for the inclusion of debt instruments of “publicly offered REITs” (i.e., a REIT that is required to file annual and periodic reports with the SEC under the Exchange Act) in the meaning of real estate assets effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, as described below under “Asset Tests”), (e) income and gain derived from foreclosure property, and (f) income from certain types of temporary investments; and

• Second, in general, at least 95% of our gross income (excluding gross income from prohibited transactions, cancellation of indebtedness income, income from certain hedging transactions and certain foreign currency gains) for each taxable year must be derived from sources qualifying under the 75% gross income test and from other types of dividends and interest, gain from the sale or disposition of stock or securities that are not dealer property, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, gain from the sale of a debt instrument issued by a “publicly offered REIT” even if not secured by real property or an interest in real property or any combination of the above.

Rents we receive will qualify as rents from real property in satisfying the gross income requirements for a REIT described above only if several conditions are met. First, the amount of rent generally must not be based in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person. However, an amount received or accrued generally will not be excluded from the term “rents from real property” solely by reason of being based on a fixed percentage or percentages of receipts or sales. Second, rents received from a “related party tenant” will not qualify as rents from real property in satisfying the gross income tests unless the tenant is a TRS and either (i) at least 90% of the property is leased to unrelated tenants and the rent paid by the TRS is substantially comparable to the rent paid by the unrelated tenants for comparable space, or (ii) the property leased is a “qualified lodging facility” or a “qualified healthcare property,” as defined in the Code, and certain other conditions are satisfied. A tenant is a related party tenant if the REIT, or an actual or constructive owner of 10% or more of the REIT, actually or constructively owns 10% or more of the tenant. Third, if rent attributable to personal property, leased in connection with a lease of real property, is greater than 15% of the total rent received under the lease, then the portion of rent attributable to the personal property will not qualify as rents from real property.

Generally, for rents to qualify as rents from real property for the purpose of satisfying the gross income tests, we may provide directly only an insignificant amount of services, unless those services are “usually or customarily rendered” in connection with the rental of real property and not otherwise considered “rendered to the occupant” under the applicable tax rules. Accordingly, “impermissible services” that we provide to tenants (except through an independent contractor from whom we derive no revenue and that meets other requirements or through a TRS) would give rise to “impermissible tenant service income.” Impermissible tenant service income is deemed to be at least 150% of the direct cost to us of furnishing or rendering the service. If the impermissible tenant service income exceeds 1% of our total income from a property, then all of the income from that property will fail to qualify as rents from real property. If the total amount of impermissible tenant service income from a property does not exceed 1% of our total income from the property, the services will not disqualify any other income from the property that qualifies as rents from real property, but the impermissible tenant service income will not qualify as rents from real property.

We do not intend to charge significant rent that is based in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person, derive significant rents from related party tenants, derive rent attributable to personal property leased in connection with real property that exceeds 15% of the total rents from that property, or derive impermissible tenant service income that exceeds 1% of our total income from any property if the treatment of the rents from such property as nonqualified rents could cause us to fail to qualify as a REIT.

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Distributions that we receive from a TRS will be classified as dividend income to the extent of the earnings and profits of the TRS. Such distributions will generally constitute qualifying income for purposes of the 95% gross income test, but not under the 75% gross income test unless attributable to investments of certain new capital during the one-year period beginning on the date of receipt of the new capital. Any dividends received by us from a REIT will be qualifying income for purposes of both the 95% and 75% gross income tests.

If we fail to satisfy one or both of the 75% or the 95% gross income tests, we may nevertheless qualify as a REIT for a particular year if we are entitled to relief under certain provisions of the Code. Those relief provisions generally will be available if our failure to meet such tests is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect and we file a schedule describing each item of our gross income for such year(s) in accordance with the applicable Treasury Regulations. It is not possible, however, to state whether in all circumstances we would be entitled to the benefit of these relief provisions. As discussed above in “—Taxation of Our Company,” even if these relief provisions were to apply, we would be subject to U.S. federal income tax based on the extent to which we fail to meet the 75% or 95% gross income tests.

Hedging transactions. We may enter into hedging transactions with respect to one or more of our assets or liabilities. Hedging transactions could take a variety of forms, including interest rate swaps or cap agreements, options, futures contracts, forward rate agreements or similar financial instruments. Except to the extent as may be provided by future Treasury Regulations, any income from a hedging transaction which is clearly identified as such before the close of the day on which it was acquired, originated or entered into, including gain from the disposition or termination of such a transaction, will not constitute gross income for purposes of the 95% and 75% gross income tests, provided that the hedging transaction is entered into (i) in the normal course of our business primarily to manage risk of interest rate or price changes or currency fluctuations with respect to indebtedness incurred or to be incurred by us to acquire or carry real estate assets or (ii) primarily to manage the risk of currency fluctuations with respect to any item of income or gain that would be qualifying income under the 75% or 95% income tests (or any property which generates such income or gain).

Effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, if we have entered into a qualifying hedge described above with respect to certain indebtedness or property, or the Original Hedge, and a portion of the hedged indebtedness is extinguished or property hedged is disposed of and in connection with such extinguishment or disposition we enter into one or more clearly identified hedging transactions that would, in general, hedge the Original Hedge, or the Counteracting Hedge, income from the applicable Original Hedge and income from the Counteracting Hedge (including gain from the disposition of the Original Hedge or the Counteracting Hedge) will not be treated as gross income for purposes of the 95% and 75% gross income tests to the extent that the Counteracting Hedge hedges the Original Hedge.

To the extent we enter into other types of hedging transactions, the income from those transactions is likely to be treated as non-qualifying income for purposes of both the 75% and 95% gross income tests. We intend to structure and monitor our hedging transactions so that such transactions do not jeopardize our ability to qualify as a REIT.

Qualified temporary investment income. Income derived from certain types of temporary stock and debt investments made with the proceeds of an offering, not otherwise treated as qualifying income for the 75% gross income test, generally will nonetheless constitute qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test for the year following such offering. More specifically, qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test includes “qualified temporary investment income,” which generally means any income that is attributable to stock or a debt instrument, is attributable to the temporary investment of new equity capital and certain debt capital, and is received or accrued during the one-year period beginning on the date on which the REIT receives such new capital. After the one year period following this offering, income from investments of the proceeds of this offering will be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% income test only if derived from one of the other qualifying sources enumerated above.

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Interest. For a discussion of interest income as it relates to the gross income tests, see “—Investments in Certain Debt Instruments” below.

Asset Tests

At the close of each quarter of each taxable year, we must also satisfy five tests relating to the nature of our assets. First, real estate assets (including for this purpose, effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, personal property leased in connection with real property to the extent that rents attributable to such personal property are treated as “rents from real property” for purposes of the 75% gross income test and debt instruments issued by “publicly offered REITs.”), cash and cash items (including certain money market funds), and government securities must represent at least 75% of the value of our total assets. Second, not more than 25% of our total assets may be represented by securities other than those in the 75% asset class. Third, of the investments that are not included in the 75% asset class and that are not securities of any TRS in which we hold an interest, (i) the value of any one issuer’s securities owned by us may not exceed 5% of the value of our total assets and (ii) we may not own more than 10% by vote or by value of any one issuer’s outstanding securities. For purposes of the 10% value test, debt instruments issued by a partnership are not classified as “securities” to the extent of our interest as a partner in such partnership (based on our proportionate share of the partnership’s equity interests and certain debt securities) or if at least 75% of the partnership’s gross income, excluding income from prohibited transactions, is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test. For purposes of the 10% value test, the term “securities” also does not include debt securities issued by another REIT, certain “straight debt” securities (for example, debt securities of a corporation of which we own no more than a de minimis amount of equity interest that are not convertible into stock of the corporation and as to which the amount and timing of payments is not subject to any contingencies), loans to individuals or estates, and accrued obligations to pay rent from real property. Fourth, securities of TRSs cannot represent more than 20% (or, in the case of taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, 25%) of our total assets. Although we intend to meet these asset tests, no assurance can be given that we will be able to do so. Fifth, effective for taxable years after December 31, 2015, not more than 25% of the value of our total assets may be represented by debt instruments issued by publicly offered REITs to the extent those debt instruments would not be real estate assets but for the inclusion of debt instruments of publicly offered REITs in the meaning of real estate assets effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, as described above. For purposes of these asset tests, we are treated as holding our proportionate share of our subsidiary partnerships’ assets. Also, for purposes of these asset tests, the term “real estate assets” includes any property that is not otherwise a real estate asset and that is attributable to the temporary investment of new capital, but only if such property is stock or a debt instrument, and only for the one-year period beginning on the date the REIT receives such capital. “Real estate assets” include our investments in stocks of other REITs but do not include stock of any real estate company, or other company, that does not qualify as a REIT (unless eligible for the special rule for temporary investment of new capital).

We will monitor the status of our assets for purposes of the various asset tests and will endeavor to manage our portfolio in order to comply at all times with such tests. If we fail to satisfy the asset tests at the end of a calendar quarter, other than our first calendar quarter as a REIT, we will not lose our qualification as a REIT if one of the following exceptions applies:

• We satisfied the asset tests at the end of the preceding calendar quarter, and the discrepancy between the value of our assets and the asset test requirements arose from changes in the market values of our assets and was not wholly or partly caused by the acquisition of one or more non-qualifying assets; or

• We eliminate any discrepancy within 30 days after the close of the calendar quarter in which it arose.

Moreover, if we fail to satisfy the asset tests at the end of a calendar quarter during a taxable year, we will not lose our qualification as a REIT if one of the following additional exceptions applies:

• De Minimis Exception: The failure is due to a violation of the 5% or 10% asset tests referenced above and is “de minimis” (meaning that the failure is one that arises from our ownership of assets the total

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value of which does not exceed the lesser of 1% of the total value of our assets at the end of the quarter in which the failure occurred and $10 million), and we either dispose of the assets that caused the failure or otherwise satisfy the asset tests within six months after the last day of the quarter in which our identification of the failure occurred; or

• General Exception: All of the following requirements are satisfied: (i) the failure does not meet the de minimis exception described above, (ii) the failure is due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect, (iii) we file a schedule in accordance with Treasury Regulations providing a description of each asset that caused the failure, (iv) we either dispose of the assets that caused the failure or otherwise satisfy the asset tests within six months after the last day of the quarter in which our identification of the failure occurred, and (v) we pay an excise tax as described above in “—Taxation of Our Company.”

Annual Distribution Requirements

In order to qualify as a REIT, each taxable year we must distribute dividends (other than capital gain dividends) to our stockholders in an amount at least equal to (A) the sum of (i) 90% of our REIT taxable income, determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction and by excluding any net capital gain, and (ii) 90% of the net income (after tax), if any, from foreclosure property, minus (B) the sum of certain items of non-cash income. We generally must pay such distributions in the taxable year to which they relate, or in the following taxable year if declared before we timely file our tax return for such year and if paid on or before the first regular dividend payment after such declaration. Subject to certain requirements, we may satisfy our distribution requirement by paying a taxable stock dividend.

To the extent that we do not distribute all of our net capital gain and taxable income, we will be subject to U.S. federal, state and local tax on the undistributed amount at regular corporate income tax rates. Furthermore, if we should fail to distribute during each calendar year at least the sum of (i) 85% of our REIT taxable income (subject to certain adjustments) for such year, (ii) 95% of our capital gain net income for such year, and (iii) 100% of any corresponding undistributed amounts from prior periods, we will be subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the excess of such required distribution over the sum of amounts actually distributed plus retained income from such taxable year on which we paid corporate income tax.

Under certain circumstances, we may be able to rectify a failure to meet the distribution requirement for a year by paying “deficiency dividends” to our stockholders in a later year that may be included 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 based upon the amount of any deduction taken for deficiency dividends. Amounts paid as deficiency dividends are generally treated as taxable income for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

For tax years beginning on or before December 31, 2014, in order to satisfy the REIT distribution requirements, the dividends we pay must not be “preferential” within the meaning of the Code. A dividend determined to be preferential will not qualify for the dividends paid deduction. To avoid paying preferential dividends, we must treat every stockholder of a class of stock with respect to which we make a distribution the same as every other stockholder of that class, and we must not treat any class of stock other than according to its dividend rights as a class. However, this rule will not apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2014 so long as we remain a “publicly offered REIT.”

We may retain and pay income tax on net long-term capital gains we receive during the tax year. To the extent we so elect, (i) each stockholder must include in its income (as long-term capital gain) its proportionate share of our undistributed long-term capital gains, (ii) each stockholder is deemed to have paid, and receives a credit for, its proportionate share of the tax paid by us on the undistributed long-term capital gains, and (iii) each stockholder’s basis in its stock is increased by the included amount of the undistributed long-term capital gains less their share of the tax paid by us.

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To qualify as a REIT, we may not have, at the end of any taxable year, any undistributed earnings and profits accumulated in any non-REIT taxable year. We believe that we have not had any non-REIT earnings and profits at the end of any taxable year and we intend to distribute any non-REIT earnings and profits that we accumulate before the end of any taxable year in which we accumulate such earnings and profits.

Elective Cash/Stock Dividends

On August 11, 2017, the IRS issued Revenue Procedure 2017-45 authorizing elective cash/stock dividends to be made by publicly offered REITs (i.e., REITs that are required to file annual and periodic reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the Exchange Act). Pursuant to Revenue Procedure 2017-45, effective for distributions declared on or after August 11, 2017, the IRS will treat the distribution of stock pursuant to an elective cash/stock dividend as a distribution of property under Section 301 of the Code (i.e., a dividend), as long as at least 20% of the total dividend is available in cash and certain other parameters detailed in Revenue Procedure 2017-45 are satisfied. On May 4, 2020, the IRS issued Rev. Proc. 2020-19 that modifies the safe harbor provided in Rev. Proc. 2017-45 by temporarily reducing the minimum required aggregate amount of cash that distribute stockholders may receive to not less than 10% of the total distribution in order for Code section 301 to apply to the distribution. The relief provided by Rev. Proc. 2020-19 is a temporary modification and is effective only with regard to distributions declared by a publicly offered REIT on or after April 1, 2020, and on or before December 31, 2020.

Failure to Qualify

If we fail to qualify as a REIT and such failure is not an asset test or income test failure subject to the cure provisions described above, or the result of preferential dividends as described above, we generally will be eligible for a relief provision if the failure is due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and we pay a penalty of $50,000 with respect to such failure.

If we fail to qualify for taxation as a REIT in any taxable year and no relief provisions apply, we generally will be subject to tax on our taxable income at regular corporate rates. Distributions to our stockholders in any year in which we fail to qualify as a REIT will not be deductible by us nor will they be required to be made. In such event, to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, all distributions to our stockholders will be taxable as dividend income. Subject to certain limitations in the Code, corporate stockholders may be eligible for the dividends received deduction, and individual, trust and estate stockholders may be eligible to treat the dividends received from us as qualified dividend income taxable as net capital gains.

Our qualification as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes will depend on our continuing to meet the various requirements summarized above governing the ownership of our outstanding stock, the nature of our assets, the sources of our income, and the amount of our distributions to our stockholders. Although we intend to operate in a manner that will enable us to comply with such requirements, there can be no certainty that such intention will be realized. In addition, because the relevant laws may change, compliance with one or more of the REIT requirements may become impossible or impracticable for us.

Prohibited Transaction Tax

Any gain realized by us on the sale of any property held (other than foreclosure property) 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 subsidiary partnerships and taking into account any related foreign currency gains or losses, will be treated as income from a “prohibited transaction” that is subject to a 100% penalty tax. Whether property is held as inventory or primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business depends upon all the facts and circumstances with respect to the particular transaction. However, the Code provides a “safe harbor” pursuant to which sales of properties held for at least two years and meeting certain other requirements will not give rise to prohibited transaction income.

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We generally intend to hold properties for investment, but we may make sales of properties consistent with our strategic objectives. In the future, we may make sales at a gain that do not satisfy the safe harbor requirements described above. There can be no assurance that the IRS will not contend that one or more of these sales are subject to the 100% penalty tax. The 100% tax will not apply to gains from the sale of property realized through a TRS or other taxable corporation, although such income will be subject to tax at regular corporate income tax rates.

Recordkeeping Requirements

To avoid a monetary penalty, we must request on an annual basis information from certain of our stockholders designed to disclose the actual ownership of our outstanding stock. We intend to comply with these requirements.

Qualified REIT Subsidiaries and Disregarded Entities

If a REIT owns a corporate subsidiary that is a “qualified REIT subsidiary” (“QRS”), or if a REIT owns 100% of the membership interests in a domestic limited liability company or other domestic unincorporated entity that does not elect to be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the separate existence of the QRS, limited liability company or other unincorporated entity generally will be disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Generally, a QRS is a corporation, other than a TRS, all of the stock of which is owned by a REIT. A limited liability company or other unincorporated entity 100% owned by a single member that does not elect to be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes (or, in the case of certain foreign entities, such an entity that affirmatively elects not to be treated as a corporation) generally is disregarded as an entity separate from its owner for U.S. federal income tax purposes. All assets, liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit of the QRS or disregarded entity will be treated as assets, liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit of its owner. To the extent we own a QRS or a disregarded entity, neither will be subject to U.S. federal corporate income taxation, although such entities may be subject to state and local taxation in some states or foreign taxes if they do business or own property outside the United States.

Taxation of Subsidiary Partnerships

We hold investments through entities that are classified as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes, including our operating partnership. Under the Code, a partnership is generally not subject to U.S. federal income tax, but is required to file a partnership tax return each year. In general, the character of each partner’s share of each item of income, gain, loss, deduction, credit, and tax preference is determined at the partnership level. Each partner is then allocated a distributive share of such items and is required to take such items into account in determining the partner’s income. Each partner includes such amount in income for any taxable year of the partnership ending within or with the taxable year of the partner, without regard to whether the partner has received or will receive any cash distributions from the partnership. Cash distributions, if any, from a partnership to a partner generally are not taxable unless and to the extent they exceed the partner’s basis in its partnership interest immediately before the distribution. Any amounts in excess of such tax basis will generally be treated as a sale of such partner’s interest in the partnership.

A REIT that is a partner in a partnership will be deemed to own its proportionate share of the assets of the partnership and, for purposes of the REIT income and asset tests, will be deemed to earn its proportionate share of the partnership’s income. The assets and gross income of the partnership retain the same character in the hands of the REIT for purposes of the gross income and asset tests applicable to REITs. Our proportionate share of the assets and items of income of our operating partnership and any subsidiary partnership, including such partnership’s share of the assets and liabilities and items of income with respect to any partnership or disregarded entity in which it holds an interest, will be treated as our assets and liabilities and items of income for purposes of applying the REIT asset and income tests. We control, and intend to continue to control, our operating partnership and intend to operate it consistently with the requirements for our qualification as a REIT.

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The partnership agreement of our operating partnership generally provides that items of operating income and loss will be allocated to the holders of operating partnership units in proportion to the overall interests of each such holder, as defined in the partnership agreement. If an allocation of partnership income or loss does not comply with the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder, the item subject to the allocation will be reallocated in accordance with the partners’ interests in the partnership. This reallocation will be determined by taking into account all of the facts and circumstances relating to the economic arrangement of the partners with respect to such item. Our operating partnership’s allocations of income and loss are intended to comply with the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.

Under Section 704(c) of the Code, income, gain, loss and deduction attributable to appreciated or depreciated property that is contributed to a partnership in exchange for an interest in the partnership must be allocated for tax purposes in a manner such that the contributing partner is charged with, or benefits from, the unrealized gain or 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, or book value, of the contributed property and the adjusted tax basis of such property at the time of the contribution. Such allocations are solely for U.S. federal income tax purposes and do not affect partnership capital accounts or other economic or legal arrangements among the partners. To the extent that any of our subsidiary partnerships, including our operating partnership, acquires appreciated (or depreciated) properties by way of capital contributions from its partners, allocations would need to be made in a manner consistent with these requirements.

Any gain realized by the operating partnership on the sale of property held by it for more than one year generally will be long-term capital gain, except for any portion of such gain that is treated as depreciation or cost recovery recapture.

Legislation was enacted that significantly changed the rules for U.S. federal income tax audits of partnerships, such as our Operating Partnership or any subsidiary partnerships or limited liability companies treated as partnerships for U.S federal income tax purposes. Such audits will continue to be conducted at the entity level, but unless such entity qualifies for and affirmatively elects an alternative procedure, any adjustments to the amount of tax due (including interest and penalties) will be payable by the entity itself. Under an alternative procedure, if elected, a partnership would issue information returns to persons who were partners in the audited year, who would then be required to take such adjustments into account in calculating their own tax liability, and the partnership would not be liable for the adjustments. If any of the Operating Partnership or our subsidiary partnerships or limited liability companies is able to and in fact elects the alternative procedure for a given adjustment, the amount of taxes for which such persons will be liable will be increased by any applicable penalties and a special interest charge. There can be no assurance that any such entities will make such an election for any given adjustment. Many issues and the overall effect of such legislation on us are uncertain.

The discussion above assumes that our operating partnership and any subsidiary partnerships will be treated as a “partnership” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Generally, a domestic unincorporated entity with two or more partners is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes unless it affirmatively elects to be treated as a corporation. However, certain “publicly traded partnerships” are treated as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Pursuant to Section 7704 of the Code, a partnership that does not elect to be treated as a corporation nevertheless will be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes if it is a “publicly traded partnership” and it does not derive at least 90% of its gross income from certain specified sources of “qualifying income” within the meaning of that provision. A “publicly traded partnership” is any partnership (i) the interests in which are traded on an established securities market or (ii) the interests in which are readily tradable on a “secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof.” Operating partnership units will not be traded on an established securities market, and we intend to operate so that our operating partnership is not treated as a corporation under the publicly traded partnership rules. Under the relevant Treasury Regulations, interests in a partnership will not be considered readily tradable on a secondary market or on the

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substantial equivalent of a secondary market if the partnership qualifies for specified “safe harbors,” which are based on the specific facts and circumstances relating to the partnership. For example, interests in a partnership are not readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof if (i) all interests in the partnership were issued in a transaction (or transactions) that was not required to be registered under the Securities Act, and (ii) the partnership does not have more than 100 partners at any time during the taxable year of the partnership (determined, in certain cases, by counting indirect partners who held their partnership interest through certain flow through entities). If any subsidiary partnership were a publicly traded partnership, it would be taxed as a corporation unless at least 90% of its gross income consists of “qualifying income” under Section 7704 of the Code. Qualifying income includes real property rents and other types of passive income, and is very similar to the types of income that we must generate in order to satisfy the REIT income tests discussed above. We intend to operate so that our operating partnership and any subsidiary partnerships will satisfy at least one of the above-mentioned safe harbors, and/or comply with the qualifying income exception, so as to avoid being taxed as a corporation under these rules. However, treatment of the operating partnership or other subsidiary partnership as a corporation could prevent us from qualifying as a REIT.

Investments in Certain Debt Instruments

We have acquired and may continue to acquire mortgage loans, and may acquire other debt investments. Interest income constitutes qualifying mortgage interest for purposes of the 75% gross income test (as described above) to the extent that the obligation upon which such interest is paid is secured by a mortgage on real property. If we receive interest income with respect to a mortgage loan that is secured by both real property and other property, and the highest principal amount of the loan outstanding during a taxable year exceeds the fair market value of the real property on the date that we committed to acquire the loan, or agreed to modify the loan in a manner that is treated as an acquisition of a new loan for U.S. federal income tax purposes, then the interest income will be apportioned between the real property and the other collateral, and our income from the loan will qualify for purposes of the 75% gross income test only to the extent that the interest is allocable to the real property; provided, however, that for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, in the case of mortgage loans secured by both real and personal property, if the fair market value of such personal property does not exceed 15% of the total fair market value of all property securing the loan, then the personal property securing the loan will be treated as real property for purposes of determining whether the mortgage is qualifying under the 75% asset requirement and interest income that qualifies for purposes of the 75% gross income requirement. For purposes of the preceding sentence, however, the IRS has indicated in published guidance that we do not need to re-determine the fair market value of real property in connection with a loan modification that is occasioned by a default or made at a time when we reasonably believe the modification of the loan will substantially reduce a significant risk of default on such loan, and any such modification will not be treated as a prohibited transaction. Even if a loan is not secured by real property, or is under-secured, the income that it generates may nonetheless qualify for purposes of the 95% gross income test. To the extent that we derive interest income from a mortgage loan where all or a portion of the amount of interest payable is contingent, such income generally will qualify for purposes of the gross income tests only if it is based upon the gross receipts or sales, and not the net income or profits, of the borrower. This limitation does not apply, however, where the borrower leases substantially all of its interest in the property to tenants or subtenants, to the extent that the rental income derived by the borrower would qualify as rents from real property had we earned the income directly.

If the outstanding principal balance of a mortgage loan exceeds the fair market value of the real property securing the loan at the time we commit to acquire the loan, or agree to modify the loan in a manner that is treated as an acquisition of a new loan for U.S. federal income tax purposes (such fair market value is referred to as the “loan value” of the real property), then a portion of such loan may not be a qualifying real estate asset. Under current law it is not clear how to determine what portion of such a loan will be treated as a qualifying real estate asset. The IRS has stated that it will not challenge a REIT’s treatment of a loan as being in part a real estate asset if the REIT treats the loan as being a real estate asset in an amount that is equal to the lesser of the fair market value of the loan and the greater of the current value of the real property securing the loan, or the loan value of the real property securing the loan.

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The application of the REIT provisions of the Code to certain mezzanine loans, which are loans secured by equity interests in an entity that directly or indirectly owns real property rather than by a direct mortgage of the real property, is not entirely clear. A safe harbor in Revenue Procedure 2003-65 provides that if a mezzanine loan meets certain requirements then it will be treated by the IRS as a real estate asset for purposes of the REIT asset tests and interest derived from it will be treated as qualifying mortgage interest for purposes of the 75% income test. However, to the extent that mezzanine loans do not meet all of the requirements for reliance on the safe harbor set forth in the Revenue Procedure, such loans may not be real estate assets and could adversely affect our REIT qualification if we acquired them. As such, the REIT provisions of the Code may limit our ability to acquire mortgage, mezzanine or other loans that we might otherwise desire to acquire.

Investments in debt instruments may require recognition of taxable income prior to receipt of cash from such investments and may cause portions of gain to be treated as ordinary income. For example, we may purchase debt instruments at a discount from face value. To the extent we purchase any instruments at a discount in connection with their original issuances, the discount will be “original issue discount” if it exceeds certain de minimis amounts, which must be accrued on a constant yield method even though we may not receive the corresponding cash payment until maturity. To the extent debt instruments are purchased by us at a discount after their original issuances, the discount may represent “market discount.” Unlike original issue discount, market discount is not required to be included in income on a constant yield method. However, if we sell a debt instrument with market discount, we will be required to treat gain up to an amount equal to the market discount that has accrued while we held the debt instrument as ordinary income. Additionally, any principal payments we receive in respect of our debt instruments must be treated as ordinary income to the extent of any accrued market discount. If we ultimately collect less on a debt instrument than our purchase price and any original issue discount or accrued market discount that we have included in income, there may be limitations on our ability to use any losses resulting from that debt instrument. We may acquire distressed debt instruments that are subsequently modified by agreement with the borrower. Under applicable Treasury Regulations, these modifications may be treated as a taxable event in which we exchange the old debt instrument for a new debt instrument, the value of which may be treated as equal to the face amount of the new debt instrument. Because distressed debt instruments are often acquired at a substantial discount from face value, the difference between our amount realized and our tax basis in the old note could be significant, resulting in significant income without any corresponding receipt of cash. Similarly, if we acquire a distressed debt instrument and subsequently foreclose, we could have taxable income to the extent that the fair market value of the property we receive exceeds our tax basis in the debt instrument. Such a scenario could also result in significant taxable income without any receipt of cash. In the event that any debt instruments acquired by us are delinquent as to mandatory principal and interest payments, or in the event payments with respect to a particular debt instrument are not made when due, we may nonetheless be required to continue to recognize the unpaid interest as taxable income.

Investments in TRSs

We own a subsidiary that has elected to be treated as a TRS for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and may in the future own interests in additional TRSs. A TRS is a corporation in which we directly or indirectly own stock and that jointly elects with us to be treated as a TRS. In addition, if any TRS in which we hold an interest owns, directly or indirectly, securities representing 35% or more of the vote or value of a subsidiary corporation, that subsidiary will also be treated as a TRS. A TRS is generally subject to U.S. federal and, possibly, state, local and foreign taxes. The taxes owed by a TRS could be substantial. To the extent that any TRS in which we hold an interest is required to pay U.S. federal, state, local, or foreign taxes, the cash available for distribution by us will be reduced accordingly.

A TRS is permitted to engage in certain kinds of activities that cannot be performed directly by us without jeopardizing our qualification as a REIT. However, an entity will not qualify as a TRS if it directly or indirectly operates or manages a health care or lodging facility or, generally, provides rights to any brand name under which any health care or lodging facility is operated, unless such rights are provided to an “eligible independent contractor” to operate or manage a health care facility or a lodging facility if such rights are held by the TRS as a

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franchisee, licensee or in a similar capacity and such health care facility or lodging facility is either owned by the TRS or leased to the TRS by its parent REIT. A TRS will not be considered to operate or manage a qualified health care property or a qualified lodging facility solely because the TRS directly or indirectly possesses a license, permit or similar instrument enabling it to do so. Additionally, a TRS will not be considered to operate or manage a qualified health care property or qualified lodging facility if it employs individuals working at such property or facility located outside of the United States, but only if an “eligible independent contractor” is responsible for the daily supervision and direction of such individuals on behalf of the TRS pursuant to a management agreement or similar service contract. An “eligible independent contractor” is, generally, with respect to any qualified health care property or qualified lodging facility, any independent contractor (as defined in section 856(d)(3) of the Code) if, at the time such contractor enters into a management agreement or other similar service contract with the TRS to operate such qualified health care property or qualified lodging facility, such contractor (or any related person) is actively engaged in the trade or business of operating qualified health care properties or qualified lodging facilities, respectively, for any person who is not a related person with respect to the parent REIT or the TRS. Certain payments made by any TRS to us may not be deductible by the TRS (which could materially increase the TRS’s taxable income). In addition, we will be subject to a 100% tax on the amounts of any rents from real property, deductions, or excess interest received from a TRS that would be reduced through reapportionment under the Code in order to more clearly reflect the income of the TRS. Finally, we will be subject to a 100% tax on “redetermined TRS service income” in respect of amounts imputed to a TRS as a result of redetermining or reallocating income among related or commonly controlled entities (e.g., amounts paid to a TRS for services it renders to or on behalf of us).

Interest Expense Deductions

Pursuant to the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, signed into law in December 2017 (the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act”), certain limitations were generally imposed on the ability of taxpayers to deduct net business interest expenses for federal income tax purposes for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2018. However, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provides an election whereby certain taxpayers engaged in a real estate trade or business, generally including for this purpose a REIT, may elect for this limitation not to apply. However, taxpayers that make this election generally are not eligible for certain depreciation methodologies. We may make this election for applicable tax years, in which case the above limitations on interest expense deductions generally would not apply to us. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, signed into law in March 2020 (the “CARES Act”), reduced such limitation for taxable years beginning in 2019 or 2020 (with an allocation election required for partnerships for 2019) and made other related amendments related to the business interest expense deduction limitation.

In addition, the above described limitations on net business interest expense deductions generally would be determined at the entity-level. As a result, the ability of our TRSs to deduct business interest expense for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2018 may be subject to limitations under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, as amended by the CARES Act, even if we make such an election.

Net Operating Losses

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act also generally restricted the ability of taxpayers to utilize net operating losses to no more than 80% their taxable income and precludes them from carrying-back net operating losses to prior tax years. The CARES Act repealed such 80% limitation for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2021. In addition, the CARES Act allowed a five-year carryback for net operating losses arising in 2018, 2019, or 2020. However, the carryback allowance does not apply to the net operating losses of REITs.

Taxation of U.S. Stockholders

The term “U.S. stockholder” means a beneficial owner of the Class A common stock that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is (i) a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation or other entity treated as a corporation that is created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any of its states or the District

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of Columbia, (iii) an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source, or (iv) a trust (a) if a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) that has a valid election in effect under the applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a U.S. person under the Code.

In addition, as used herein, the term U.S. stockholder does not include any entity that is subject to special treatment under the Code, such as (i) insurance companies; (ii) tax-exempt organizations (except to the limited extent discussed below); (iii) financial institutions or broker-dealers; (iv) non-U.S. individuals and foreign corporations (except to the limited extent discussed below); (v) U.S. expatriates; (vi) persons who have elected to use a mark-to-market method of accounting; (vii) subchapter S corporations; (viii) U.S. stockholders whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar; (ix) regulated investment companies; (x) holders who receive our stock through the exercise of employee stock options or otherwise as compensation; (xi) persons holding shares of our stock as part of a “straddle,” “hedge,” “conversion transaction,” “synthetic security” or other integrated investment; (xii) persons subject to the alternative minimum tax provisions of the Code; (xiii) persons holding our stock through a partnership or similar pass-through entity; and (xiv) persons holding a 10% or more (by vote or value) beneficial interest in our stock. If a partnership, including any entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, holds our stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If you are a partner in a partnership holding our stock, you are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding the consequences of the ownership and disposition of shares of our stock by the partnership. This summary assumes that stockholders hold our stock as capital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which generally means property held for investment.

Distributions

Pursuant to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, dividends received from REITs that are treated as “qualified REIT dividends” received by certain individuals, trusts and estates generally qualify for a 20% deduction, subject to certain limitations, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026. For this purpose, a “qualified REIT dividend” generally includes any dividend from a REIT received during a taxable year that is not (i) a “capital gain dividend” or (ii) “qualified dividend income,” in each case, as discussed below.

Distributions by us, other than capital gain dividends, will constitute ordinary dividends to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In general, subject to the discussion above regarding qualified REIT dividends, these dividends will be taxable as ordinary income and will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate stockholders. Our ordinary dividends generally will not qualify as “qualified dividend income” currently taxed as net capital gain for U.S. stockholders that are individuals, trusts, or estates. However, provided we properly designate the distributions, distributions to U.S. stockholders that are individuals, trusts, or estates generally will constitute qualified dividend income taxed as net capital gains to the extent the U.S. stockholder satisfies certain holding period requirements and to the extent the dividends are attributable to (i) qualified dividend income we receive from other corporations during the taxable year, including from any TRS in which we hold an interest, and (ii) our undistributed earnings or built-in gains taxed at the corporate level during the immediately preceding year. We do not anticipate distributing a significant amount of qualified dividend income.

The discussion in this section applies equally to certain distributions payable in cash and taxable stock distributions. Taxable U.S. stockholders receiving taxable stock dividends will be required to include as dividend income the fair market value of the stock received plus any cash or other property received in the distribution, to the extent of the REIT’s current and accumulated earnings and profits for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, a U.S. stockholder may be required to pay tax with respect to such dividends in excess of the cash received. If a U.S. 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.

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To the extent that we make a distribution in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits (a “return of capital distribution”), the distribution will be treated first as a tax-free return of capital, reducing the tax basis in a U.S. stockholder’s stock but not below zero. To the extent a return of capital distribution exceeds a U.S. stockholder’s tax basis in its stock, the distribution will be taxable as capital gain realized from the sale of such stock.

Dividends declared by us in October, November or December and payable to a stockholder of record on a specified date in any such month shall be treated both as paid by us and as received by the stockholder on December 31 of the year, provided that the dividend is actually paid by us during January of the following calendar year.

We will be treated as having sufficient earnings and profits to treat as a dividend any distribution up to the amount required to be distributed in order to avoid imposition of the 4% excise tax generally applicable to REITs if certain distribution requirements are not met. Moreover, any deficiency dividend will be treated as an ordinary or a capital gain dividend, as the case may be, regardless of our earnings and profits at the time the distribution is actually made. As a result, stockholders may be required to treat certain distributions as taxable dividends that would otherwise result in a tax-free return of capital.

Distributions that are properly designated as capital gain dividends will be taxed as long-term capital gains (to the extent they do not exceed our actual net capital gain for the taxable year) without regard to the period for which the stockholder has held its stock. However, corporate stockholders may be required to treat up to 20% of certain capital gain dividends as ordinary income. In addition, U.S. stockholders may be required to treat a portion of any capital gain dividend as “unrecaptured Section 1250 gain,” taxable at a maximum rate of 25%, if we incur such gain. Capital gain dividends are not eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporations.

Effective for distributions in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, the aggregate amount of dividends that we may designate as “capital gain dividends” or “qualified dividend income” with respect to any taxable year may not exceed the dividends paid by us with respect to such year, including dividends that are paid in the following year that are treated as paid with respect to such year.

The REIT provisions of the Code do not require us to distribute our long-term capital gain, and we may elect to retain and pay income tax on our net long-term capital gains received during the taxable year. If we so elect for a taxable year, our stockholders would include in income as long-term capital gains their proportionate share of designated retained net long-term capital gains for the taxable year. A U.S. stockholder would be deemed to have paid its share of the tax paid by us on such undistributed capital gains, which would be credited or refunded to the stockholder. The U.S. stockholder’s basis in its stock would be increased by the amount of undistributed long-term capital gains (less the capital gains tax paid by us) included in the U.S. stockholder’s long-term capital gains.

Passive Activity Loss and Investment Interest Limitations; No Pass Through of Losses

Our distributions and gain from the disposition of our stock will not be treated as passive activity income and, therefore, U.S. stockholders will not be able to apply any “passive losses” against such income. With respect to non-corporate U.S. stockholders, our distributions (to the extent they do not constitute a return of capital) that are taxed at ordinary income rates will generally be treated as investment income for purposes of the investment interest limitation; however, net capital gain from the disposition of our stock (or distributions treated as such), capital gain dividends, and dividends taxed at net capital gains rates generally will be excluded from investment income except to the extent the U.S. stockholder elects to treat such amounts as ordinary income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. U.S. stockholders may not include in their own U.S. federal income tax returns any of our net operating or net capital losses.

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Sale or Disposition of Stock

In general, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares of our stock by a stockholder will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the stock has been held for more than one year and otherwise will be a short-term capital gain or loss. However, any loss upon a sale or exchange of the stock by a stockholder who has held such stock for six months or less (after applying certain holding period rules) will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of our distributions or undistributed capital gains required to be treated by such stockholder as long-term capital gain. All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares of our stock may be disallowed if the taxpayer purchases other shares of the common stock within 30 days before or after the disposition.

Medicare Tax on Unearned Income

Certain U.S. stockholders that are individuals, estates or trusts will be required to pay an additional 3.8% tax (the “Medicare Tax”) on, among other things, certain dividends on and capital gains from the sale or other disposition of stock. U.S. stockholders that are individuals, estates or trusts should consult their tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of the Medicare Tax on their ownership and disposition of our stock.

Taxation of U.S. Tax-Exempt Stockholders

In General

In general, a tax-exempt organization is exempt from U.S. federal income tax on its income, except to the extent of its “unrelated business taxable income” (“UBTI”), which is defined by the Code as the gross income derived from any trade or business which is regularly carried on by a tax-exempt entity and unrelated to its exempt purposes, less any directly connected deductions and subject to certain modifications. For this purpose, the Code generally excludes from UBTI any gain or loss from the sale or other disposition of property (other than stock in trade or property held primarily for sale in the ordinary course of a trade or business), dividends, interest, rents from real property, and certain other items. However, a portion of any such gains, dividends, interest, rents, and other items generally is UBTI to the extent derived from debt-financed property, based on the amount of “acquisition indebtedness” with respect to such debt-financed property. Before making an investment in shares of our stock, a tax-exempt stockholder should consult its tax advisors with regard to UBTI and the suitability of the investment in our stock.

Distributions we make to a tax-exempt employee pension trust or other domestic tax-exempt stockholder or gains from the disposition of our stock held as capital assets generally will not constitute UBTI unless the exempt organization’s stock is debt-financed property (e.g., the stockholder has incurred “acquisition indebtedness” with respect to such stock). However, if we are a “pension-held REIT,” this general rule may not apply to distributions to certain pension trusts that are qualified trusts (as defined above in “—Qualification as a REIT—Ownership Tests” ) and that hold more than 10% (by value) of our stock. We will be treated as a “pension-held REIT” if (i) treating qualified trusts as individuals would cause us to fail the 5/50 Test (as defined above) and (ii) we are “predominantly held” by qualified trusts. We will be “predominantly held” by qualified trusts if either (i) a single qualified trust holds more than 25% by value of our stock or (ii) one or more qualified trusts, each owning more than 10% by value of our stock, hold in the aggregate more than 50% by value of our stock. In the event we are a pension-held REIT, the percentage of any dividend received from us treated as UBTI would be equal to the ratio of (a) the gross UBTI (less certain associated expenses) earned by us (treating us as if we were a qualified trust and, therefore, subject to tax on UBTI) to (b) our total gross income (less certain associated expenses). A de minimis exception applies where the ratio set forth in the preceding sentence is less than 5% for any year; in that case, no dividends are treated as UBTI. We cannot assure you that we will not be treated as a pension-held REIT.

Special Issues

Social clubs, voluntary employee benefit associations, supplemental unemployment benefit trusts, and qualified group legal services plans that are exempt from taxation under paragraphs (7), (9), (17), and (20),

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respectively, of Section 501(c) of the Code are subject to different UBTI rules, which generally will require them to characterize distributions from us as UBTI. Prospective tax-exempt stockholders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the implications of these rules with respect to their investment in our stock.

Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders

The rules governing U.S. federal income taxation of non-U.S. beneficial owners of the Class A common stock, such as nonresident alien individuals, foreign corporations, and foreign trusts and estates (“non-U.S. stockholders”), are complex. This section is only a partial discussion of such rules. This discussion does not attempt to address the considerations that may be relevant for non-U.S. stockholders that are partnerships or other pass-through entities, that hold their stock through intermediate entities or that are subject to special rules (such as sovereigns).

Prospective non-U.S. stockholders are urged to consult their tax advisors to determine the impact of U.S. federal, state, local and foreign income tax laws on their ownership of our stock, including any reporting requirements.

Distributions

A non-U.S. stockholder that receives a distribution that is not attributable to gain from our sale or exchange of “United States real property interests” (as defined below) and that we do not designate as a capital gain dividend or retained capital gain generally will recognize ordinary income to the extent that we pay the distribution out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits. A withholding tax equal to 30% of the gross amount of the distribution ordinarily will apply unless an applicable tax treaty reduces or eliminates the tax. Under some treaties, lower withholding rates do not apply to dividends from REITs or are available in limited circumstances. However, if a distribution is treated as effectively connected with the non-U.S. stockholder’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business and, if so required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a U.S. permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. stockholder, the non-U.S. stockholder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the distribution at graduated rates (in the same manner as U.S. stockholders are taxed on distributions) and also may be subject to a 30% branch profits tax in the case of a corporate non-U.S. stockholder (subject to reduction under an applicable income tax treaty). We plan to withhold U.S. income tax at the rate of 30% on the gross amount of any distribution paid to a non-U.S. stockholder (including any portion of any dividend that is payable in our stock) that is neither a capital gain dividend nor a distribution that is attributable to gain from the sale or exchange of “United States real property interests” unless either (i) a lower treaty rate or special provision of the Code applies and the non-U.S. stockholder files with us any required IRS Form W-8 (for example, an IRS Form W-8BEN) evidencing eligibility for that reduced rate or (ii) the non-U.S. stockholder files with us an IRS Form W-8ECI claiming that the distribution is effectively connected income.

A non-U.S. stockholder generally will not incur tax on a return of capital distribution in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits that is not attributable to the gain from our disposition of a “United States real property interest” if the excess portion of the distribution does not exceed the adjusted basis of the non-U.S. stockholder’s stock. Instead, the excess portion of the distribution will reduce the adjusted basis of the stock. However, a non-U.S. stockholder will be subject to tax on such a distribution that exceeds both our current and accumulated earnings and profits and the non-U.S. stockholder’s adjusted basis in the stock, if the non-U.S. stockholder otherwise would be subject to tax on gain from the sale or disposition of our stock, as described below. Because we generally cannot determine at the time we make a distribution whether or not the distribution will exceed our current and accumulated earnings and profits, we normally will withhold tax on the entire amount of any distribution at the same rate as we would withhold on a dividend. However, a non-U.S. stockholder may file a U.S. federal income tax return and obtain a refund from the IRS of amounts that we withhold if we later determine that a distribution in fact exceeded our current and accumulated earnings and profits.

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We may be required to withhold 15% of any distribution that exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits. Consequently, although we intend to withhold at a rate of 30% on the entire amount of any distribution that is neither attributable to the gain from our disposition of a “United States real property interest” nor designated by us as a capital gain dividend, to the extent that we do not do so, we will withhold at a rate of 15% on any portion of a distribution not subject to withholding at a rate of 30%.

Subject to the exception discussed below for 10% or smaller holders of regularly traded classes of stock, a non-U.S. stockholder will incur tax on distributions that are attributable to gain from our sale or exchange of “United States real property interests” under the Foreign Investors in Real Property Tax Act of 1980 (“FIRPTA”), regardless of whether we designate such distributions as capital gain distributions. The term “United States real property interests” includes interests in U.S. real property and stock in U.S. corporations at least 50% of whose assets, generally, consist of interests in U.S. real property. Under those rules, a non-U.S. stockholder is taxed on distributions attributable to gain from sales of United States real property interests as if the gain were effectively connected with the non-U.S. stockholder’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business. A non-U.S. stockholder thus would be taxed on such a distribution at the normal capital gain rates applicable to U.S. stockholders, subject to applicable alternative minimum tax and a special alternative minimum tax in the case of a nonresident alien individual. A corporate non-U.S. stockholder not entitled to treaty relief or exemption also may be subject to the 30% branch profits tax on such a distribution. We generally must withhold 21% of any distribution subject to these rules (“21% FIRPTA Withholding”). A non-U.S. stockholder may receive a credit against its tax liability for the amount we withhold.

A non-U.S. stockholder that owns no more than 10% of our Class A common stock at all times during the one-year period ending on the date of a distribution will not be subject to FIRPTA, branch profits tax or 21% FIRPTA Withholding with respect to a distribution on stock that is attributable to gain from our sale or exchange of United States real property interests, provided that our Class A common stock continues to be regularly traded on an established securities market in the United States. Instead, any such distributions made to such non-U.S. stockholder will be subject to the general withholding rules discussed above, which generally impose a withholding tax equal to 30% of the gross amount of each distribution (unless reduced by treaty).

Distributions that are designated by us as capital gain dividends, other than those attributable to the disposition of a U.S. real property interest, generally should not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation unless:

• such distribution is effectively connected with the non-U.S. stockholder’s U.S. trade or business and, if so required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a U.S. permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. stockholder, in which case the non-U.S. stockholder will be subject to tax on a net basis in a manner similar to the taxation of U.S. stockholders with respect to such gain, except that a holder that is a foreign corporation may also be subject to the additional 30% branch profits tax; or

• the non-U.S. stockholder is a nonresident alien individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and has a “tax home” in the United States, in which case such nonresident alien individual generally will be subject to a 30% tax on the individual’s net U.S. source capital gain.

It is not entirely clear to what extent we are required to withhold on distributions to non-U.S. stockholders that are not treated as ordinary income and are not attributable to the disposition of a United States real property interest. Unless the law is clarified to the contrary, we will generally withhold and remit to the IRS 21% of any distribution to a non-U.S. stockholder that is designated as a capital gain dividend (or, if greater, 21% of a distribution that could have been designated as a capital gain dividend). Distributions can be designated as capital gain dividends to the extent of our net capital gain for the taxable year of the distribution. The amount withheld is creditable against the non-U.S. stockholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability.

It is also not entirely clear whether distributions that are (i) otherwise treated as capital gain dividends, (ii) not attributable to the disposition of a United States real property interest, and (iii) paid to non-U.S.

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stockholders who own 10% or less of the value of our Class A common stock at all times during the one-year period ending on the date of the distribution, will be treated as (a) long-term capital gain to such non-U.S. stockholders or as (b) ordinary dividends taxable in the manner described above. If we were to pay a capital gain dividend described in the prior sentence, non-U.S. stockholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the taxation of such distribution in their particular circumstances.

Distributions to Qualified Shareholders

Subject to the exception discussed below, for purposes of any distribution on or after December 18, 2015 to a “qualified shareholder” who holds REIT stock directly (or indirectly through one or more partnerships), such REIT stock will not be treated as a “United States real property interest” and, thus, such distribution should not be subject to special rules under FIRPTA.

However, a “qualified shareholder” with one or more “applicable investors” (i.e., persons other than “qualified shareholders” who hold interests in the “qualified shareholder” (other than interests solely as a creditor), and hold (or are deemed to hold under attribution rules) more than 10% of the stock of such REIT (whether or not by reason of the investor’s ownership in the “qualified shareholder”)), as well as such applicable investors, may be subject to FIRPTA rules.

A “qualified shareholder” is a foreign person that (i) either is eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive income tax treaty with the United States which includes an exchange of information program and whose principal class of interests is listed and regularly traded on one or more recognized stock exchanges (as defined in such comprehensive income tax treaty), or is a foreign partnership that is created or organized under foreign law as a limited partnership in a jurisdiction that has an agreement for the exchange of information with respect to taxes with the United States and has a class of limited partnership units that is regularly traded on the NYSE or NASDAQ markets representing greater than 50% of the value of all the partnership units, (ii) is a qualified collective investment vehicle (defined below), and (iii) maintains records on the identity of each person who, at any time during the foreign person’s taxable year, is the direct owner of 5% or more of the class of interests or units (as applicable) described in (i), above.

A qualified collective investment vehicle is a foreign person that (i) would be eligible for a reduced rate of withholding with respect to ordinary dividends paid by a REIT under the comprehensive income tax treaty described above, even if such entity holds more than 10% of the stock of such REIT, (ii) is publicly traded, is treated as a partnership under the Code, is a withholding foreign partnership, and would be treated as a “United States real property holding corporation” during a specified period if it were a domestic corporation, or (iii) is designated as such by the Secretary of the Treasury and is either (a) fiscally transparent within the meaning of Section 894 of the Code, or (b) required to include dividends in its gross income, but is entitled to a deduction for distributions to its investors.

Qualified Foreign Pension Funds. With respect to any distribution after December 18, 2015 to a “qualified foreign pension fund” or an entity all of the interests of which are held by a “qualified foreign pension fund” who holds REIT stock directly (or indirectly through one or more partnerships), such distribution will not be subject to special rules under FIRPTA.

A qualified foreign pension fund is any trust, corporation, or other organization or arrangement (i) which is created or organized under the law of a country other than the United States, (ii) which is established to provide retirement or pension benefits to participants or beneficiaries that are current or former employees (or persons designated by such employees) of one or more employers in consideration for services rendered, (iii) which does not have a single participant or beneficiary with a right to more than 5% of its assets or income, (iv) which is subject to government regulation and provides annual information reporting about its beneficiaries to the relevant tax authorities in the country in which it is established or operates, and (v) with respect to which, under the laws of the country in which it is established or operates, (A) contributions to such trust, corporation, organization or

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arrangement that would otherwise be subject to tax under such laws are deductible or excluded from the gross income of such entity or taxed at a reduced rate, or (B) taxation of any investment income of such trust, corporation, organization or arrangement is deferred or such income is taxed at a reduced rate.

The provisions described above relating to qualified shareholders, applicable investors, and qualified foreign pension funds are complex. Stockholders should consult their tax advisors with respect to the impact of such provisions on them.

Dispositions

If gain on the sale of our stock were taxed under FIRPTA, a non-U.S. stockholder would be taxed on that gain in the same manner as U.S. stockholders with respect to that gain, subject to applicable alternative minimum tax, and a special alternative minimum tax in the case of nonresident alien individuals. A non-U.S. stockholder generally will not incur tax under FIRPTA on a sale or other disposition of our stock if we are a “domestically controlled qualified investment entity,” which requires that, during the shorter of the period since our formation and the five-year period ending on the date of the distribution or disposition, non-U.S. stockholders hold, directly or indirectly, less than 50% in value of our stock and we are qualified as a REIT. We cannot assure you that we are or will be a domestically controlled qualified investment entity. However, the gain from a sale of our Class A common stock by a non-U.S. stockholder will not be subject to tax under FIRPTA if (i) our Class A common stock is considered regularly traded under applicable Treasury Regulations on an established securities market, such as the New York Stock Exchange, and (ii) the non-U.S. stockholder owned, actually or constructively, 10% or less of our Class A common stock at all times during a specified testing period. Accordingly, provided that our Class A common stock is, and continues to be, regularly traded on an established securities market, a non-U.S. stockholder should not incur tax under FIRPTA with respect to gain on a sale of our Class A common stock unless it owns or has owned during such period, actually or constructively, more than 10% of our Class A common stock.

In addition, even if we are a domestically controlled qualified investment entity, upon a disposition of our stock, a non-U.S. stockholder may be treated as having gain from the sale or exchange of a United States real property interest if the non-U.S. stockholder (i) disposes of an interest in our stock during the 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 sale or exchange of a United States real property interest, and (ii) directly or indirectly acquires, enters into a contract or option to acquire, or is deemed to acquire, other shares of our stock within 30 days before or after such ex-dividend date. The foregoing rule does not apply if the exception described above for dispositions by 10% or smaller holders of regularly traded classes of stock is satisfied.

Furthermore, a non-U.S. stockholder generally will incur tax on gain (even if not subject to FIRPTA) if (i) the gain is effectively connected with the non-U.S. stockholder’s U.S. trade or business and, if so required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a U.S. permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. stockholder, in which case the non-U.S. stockholder will be subject to the same treatment as U.S. stockholders with respect to such gain, or (ii) the non-U.S. stockholder is a nonresident alien individual who was present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and has a “tax home” in the United States, in which case the non-U.S. stockholder will generally incur a 30% tax on his or her net U.S. source capital gains.

Purchasers of our stock from a non-U.S. stockholder generally will be required to withhold and remit to the IRS 15% of the purchase price unless at the time of purchase (i) any class of our stock is regularly traded on an established securities market in the United States (subject to certain limits if the shares sold are not themselves part of such a regularly traded class) or (ii) we are a domestically controlled qualified investment entity. The non-U.S. stockholder may receive a credit against its tax liability for the amount withheld.

Qualified Shareholders and Qualified Pension Funds

After December 18, 2015, a sale of our Class A common stock by (i) a “qualified shareholder” without one or more applicable investors, or (ii) a “qualified pension fund,” who holds such Class A common stock directly

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(or indirectly through one or more partnerships) will not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation under FIRPTA. A “qualified shareholder” with one or more applicable investors may be subject to such rules.

The provisions described above relating to qualified shareholders, applicable investors and qualified foreign pension funds are complex. Stockholders should consult their tax advisors with respect to the impact of such provisions on them.

Information Reporting Requirements and Backup Withholding Tax

The amount of distributions paid during each calendar year, and the amount of tax withheld, if any, will be reported to our U.S. stockholders and to the IRS. Under the backup withholding rules, a U.S. stockholder may be subject to backup withholding (currently at 24%) with respect to distributions paid, unless such stockholder (i) is a corporation or other exempt entity and, when required, proves its status or (ii) certifies under penalties of perjury that the taxpayer identification number the stockholder has furnished to us is correct and the stockholder is not subject to backup withholding and otherwise complies with the applicable requirements of the backup withholding rules. A U.S. stockholder that does not provide us with its correct taxpayer identification number also may be subject to penalties imposed by the IRS.

The amount of dividends paid and the tax withheld with respect to such dividends, regardless of whether withholding was required, will be reported to our non-U.S. stockholders and to the IRS. Copies of the information returns reporting such dividends and withholding may also be made available to the tax authorities in the country in which the non-U.S. stockholder resides under the provisions of an applicable income tax treaty. A non-U.S. stockholder may be subject to back-up withholding unless applicable certification requirements are met.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be allowed as a refund or a credit against such holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

FATCA Withholding

Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code and the Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder (commonly referred to as “FATCA”) generally impose a 30% withholding tax on U.S. source dividends paid to (i) a foreign financial institution (as defined in Section 1471(d)(4) of the Code) unless such foreign financial institution agrees, pursuant to an agreement with the U.S. Treasury Department or otherwise, to collect and disclose certain information regarding its direct and indirect U.S. owners (which, for this purpose, can include certain debt and equity holders of such foreign financial institution as well as the direct and indirect owners of financial accounts maintained by such institution) and satisfies certain other requirements, and (ii) certain other non-U.S. entities unless such entities provide the payor with information regarding certain direct and indirect U.S. owners of the entity, or certify that they have no such U.S. owners, and comply with certain other requirements. Withholding under FATCA is imposed on payments to foreign financial institutions and other applicable payees whether they receive such payments in the capacity of an intermediary or for their own account. 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 that payments in respect of our Class A common stock will be subject to the withholding described above, these agreements are expected to reduce the risk of the withholding for investors in (or indirectly holding our Class A common stock through financial institutions in) those countries. Each non-U.S. stockholder and any U.S. stockholder holding our Class A common stock through a foreign financial institution is urged to consult its tax advisor about the possible impact of these rules on their investment in our Class A common stock, and the entities through which they hold our Class A common stock, including, without limitation, the process and deadlines for meeting the applicable requirements to prevent the imposition of this 30% withholding of tax under FATCA.

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Legislative or Other Actions Affecting REITs

The present U.S. federal income tax treatment of REITs may be modified, possibly with retroactive effect, by legislative, judicial or administrative action at any time, which could affect the U.S. federal income tax treatment of an investment in us. The REIT rules are constantly under review by persons involved in the legislative process and by the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Treasury Department which may result in statutory changes as well as revisions to regulations and interpretations. Changes to the U.S. federal tax laws and interpretations thereof could adversely affect an investment in our Class A common stock. According to publicly released statements, a top legislative priority of the new Congress and administration may be to enact significant reform of the Code, including significant changes to taxation of business entities and the deductibility of interest expense and capital investment. There is a substantial lack of clarity around the likelihood, timing and details of any such tax reform and the impact of any potential tax reform on us or an investment in our Class A common stock. Any such changes to the tax laws or interpretations thereof, with or without retroactive application, could materially and adversely affect our stockholders or us. We cannot predict how changes in the tax laws might affect our stockholders or us. New legislation, U.S. Treasury Regulations, administrative interpretations or court decisions could significantly and negatively affect our ability to continue to qualify as a REIT, or the U.S. federal income tax consequences to our stockholders and us of such qualification, or could have other adverse consequences, including with respect to ownership of our Class A common stock. For example, lower revised tax rates for corporations, or for individuals, trusts and estates, might cause current or potential stockholders to perceive investments in REITs to be relatively less attractive than is the case under current law. Investors are urged to consult their tax advisors with respect to the status of legislative, regulatory or administrative developments and proposals and their potential effect on an investment in our Class A common stock.

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and CARES Act

In December of 2017, the United States House of Representatives and Senate passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which was subsequently signed into law by President Trump. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act made a number of fundamental changes to the U.S. federal income taxation of individuals, corporations and estates. Moreover, the rules relating to REITS are constantly under review by the IRS and the U.S. Treasury Department, which may result in new or significant changes to existing Treasury Regulations, statutes or interpretations thereof.

In addition to the statutory changes enacted by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act referenced above, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act generally reduced the U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to corporations from 35% to 21% for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017. As a result, the relative competitive advantage a REIT may enjoy to the extent the REIT is not typically subject to corporate income tax may be diminished. On the other hand, as described above, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act generally reduced the maximum U.S. federal income tax rate on ordinary REIT dividends received by non-corporate taxpayers from 39.6% to 37.0% and generally permits non-corporate taxpayers to deduct 20% of qualified REIT dividends, resulting in a maximum U.S. federal income tax rate of 29.6% on REIT dividends with respect to such taxpayers.

On March 27, 2020, the CARES Act was signed into law with the intention to support the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act made technical corrections, or temporary modifications, to certain provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

As further described above, the tax law changes enacted by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the CARES Act could significantly impact both business and financial results, as well as the tax consequences of an investment in our Class A common stock.

The individual and collective impact of the changes made by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the CARES Act on REITS and their security holders are uncertain and may not become evident for some period of time. It is also possible additional legislation could be enacted in the future as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic which may affect the holders of our securities. Prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the effect of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the CARES Act, and any other potential changes to United States federal tax law on an investment in our Class A common stock.

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State, Local and Foreign Tax

We may be subject to state, local and foreign tax in states, localities and foreign countries in which we do business or own property. The tax treatment applicable to us and our security holders in such jurisdictions may differ from the U.S. federal income tax treatment described above.

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may issue the shares of Class A common stock covered by this prospectus to holders of partnership units in connection with the redemption of their partnership units if we, in our sole discretion, elect to deliver Class A common stock to unitholders who wish to have their partnership units redeemed. Alternatively, we may elect to acquire the partnership units for cash rather than issue Class A common stock in exchange therefor.

Pursuant to the amended and restated agreement of limited partnership of the Partnership, dated as of December 20, 2012, should we elect to deliver Class A common stock to holders of partnership units, such units will convert to Class A common stock on a ratio of one share of Class A common stock for each partnership unit.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, this plan of distribution may be modified in a prospectus supplement or otherwise.

The Class A common stock issued pursuant to this prospectus will be listed on the NYSE, subject to official notice of issuance.

LEGAL MATTERS

Certain legal matters in connection with the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by McDermott Will & Emery LLP, and Venable LLP as to matters of Maryland law. Certain legal matters relating to our classification as a REIT for federal income tax purposes will be passed upon for us by McDermott Will & Emery LLP.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements, and the related financial statement schedules, incorporated in this prospectus by reference from Healthcare Trust of America, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and the effectiveness of Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. and subsidiaries’ internal control over financial reporting have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedules have been so incorporated in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

The consolidated financial statements, and the related financial statement schedules, incorporated in this prospectus by reference from Healthcare Trust of America Holdings, LP’s Annual Report on Form 10-K have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report, which is incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedules have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

The following table sets forth an estimate of the fees and expenses payable by the registrant in connection with the offering described in this registration statement.

Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee	$	30,319
Printing fees and expenses		15,000	*
Legal fees and expenses		50,000	*
Accounting fees and expenses		15,000	*
Transfer Agent fees		1,000	*
Miscellaneous expenses		1,000	*
Total	$	112,319	*

* Estimated.

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages, except for liability resulting from (a) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or (b) active and deliberate dishonesty that is established by a final judgment and is material to the cause of action. Healthcare Trust of America, Inc.’s Charter contains a provision that eliminates such liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.

Healthcare Trust of America, Inc.’s Charter and Bylaws provide that, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. is obligated to indemnify any present or former director or officer or any individual who, while a director or officer of Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. and at Healthcare Trust of America, Inc.’s request, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, partner, member, manager or trustee, from and against any claim or liability to which that individual may become subject or which that individual may incur by reason of his or her service in any such capacity and to pay or reimburse his or her reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding, without requiring a preliminary determination of the ultimate entitlement to indemnification.

Healthcare Trust of America, Inc.’s Charter and Bylaws also permit Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. to indemnify and advance expenses to any person who served a predecessor of Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. in any of the capacities described above and to any employee or agent of Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. or a predecessor of Healthcare Trust of America, Inc.

Maryland law requires a corporation (unless its charter provides otherwise, which Healthcare Trust of America, Inc.’s Charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made or threatened to be made a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity. Maryland law permits a corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made or are threatened to be made a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that:

• the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (1) was committed in bad faith or (2) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty;

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• the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services; or

• in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful.

However, under Maryland law, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation or for a judgment of liability on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received. A court may order indemnification if it determines that the director or officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, even though the director or officer did not meet the prescribed standard of conduct or was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received. However, indemnification for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation, or for a judgment of liability on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received, is limited to expenses.

In addition, Maryland law permits a corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer upon the corporation’s receipt of:

• a written affirmation by the director or officer of his good faith belief that he has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the corporation; and

• a written undertaking by the director or officer or on the director’s or officer’s behalf to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the corporation if it is ultimately determined that the director or officer did not meet the standard of conduct.

Insofar as the foregoing provisions permit indemnification of directors, officers or persons controlling Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. for liability arising under the Securities Act, Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. has been informed that in the opinion of the SEC, this indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. has entered into indemnification agreements with each of its directors and executive officers whereby Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. agrees to indemnify such directors and executive officers to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law against all expenses and liabilities, subject to limited exceptions. The indemnification agreements require Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. to indemnify the director or officer party thereto, the indemnitee, against all judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement and all expenses actually and reasonably incurred by the indemnitee or on his or her behalf in connection with a proceeding, unless it is established that one of the exceptions to indemnification under Maryland law set forth above exists.

In addition, Healthcare Trust of America, Inc.’s directors and officers are indemnified for specified liabilities and expenses pursuant to the partnership agreement of Healthcare Trust of America Holdings, LP, the partnership in which Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. serves as sole general partner.

Item 16. Exhibits

The list of exhibits filed as part of this registration statement is submitted in the Exhibit Index following the signature page.

Item 17. Undertakings

(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

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(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

(i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities: The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such

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purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the annual reports of Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of their counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

(e) The undersigned registrants hereby undertake to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Act.

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EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number	Description
3.1*	Fifth Articles of Amendment and Restatement (included as Exhibit 3.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on March 11, 2014 and incorporated herein by reference).
3.2*	Articles of Amendment (included as Exhibit 3.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December  16, 2014 and incorporated herein by reference).
3.3*	Articles of Amendment (included as Exhibit 3.2 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December  16, 2014 and incorporated herein by reference).
3.4*	Articles Supplementary (included as Exhibit 3.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on July 14, 2017 and incorporated herein by reference).
3.5*	Fourth Amended and Restated Bylaws of Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. (included as Exhibit 3.1  to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on April 29, 2020 and incorporated herein by reference).
5.1	Opinion of Venable LLP.
8.1	Opinion of McDermott Will & Emery, LLP as to tax matters.
23.1	Consent of Venable LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
23.2	Consent of McDermott Will & Emery, LLP (included in Exhibit 8.1).
23.3	Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.
23.4	Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.
24.1	Power of Attorney (included on signature page).

* Previously filed.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the undersigned registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Scottsdale, State of Arizona, on the 26th day of February, 2021.

HEALTHCARE TRUST OF AMERICA, INC.
By:	/s/ SCOTT D. PETERS
	Scott D. Peters
	Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman

Each of the persons whose signature appears below hereby constitutes Scott D. Peters and Robert A. Milligan, and each of them or either of them as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, or any registration statement for the same offering that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to cause the same to be filed, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby granting to said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing whatsoever requisite or desirable to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all acts and things that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or either of them, or their substitutes or substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 26th day of February, 2021.

Signature	Title
/s/ Scott D. Peters	Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman
Scott D. Peters	(Principal Executive Officer)
/s/ Robert A. Milligan	Chief Financial Officer
Robert A. Milligan	(Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)
/s/ W. Bradley Blair, II	Lead Director
W. Bradley Blair, II
/s/ Vicki U. Booth	Director
Vicki U. Booth
/s/ Henry Lee Cooper	Director
Henry Lee Cooper
/s/ Warren D. Fix	Director
Warren D. Fix
/s/ Peter N. Foss	Director
Peter N. Foss
/s/ Jay P. Leupp	Director
Jay P. Leupp
/s/ Gary T. Wescombe	Director
Gary T. Wescombe

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