Berenson v. Commissioner

1978 T.C. Memo. 89, 37 T.C.M. 415, 1978 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 424
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedMarch 6, 1978
DocketDocket Nos. 3677-70, 6069-70, 6088-70, 6116-70, 2920-71, 3870-71.
StatusUnpublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 1978 T.C. Memo. 89 (Berenson v. Commissioner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Tax Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Berenson v. Commissioner, 1978 T.C. Memo. 89, 37 T.C.M. 415, 1978 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 424 (tax 1978).

Opinion

LOUIS BERENSON and SUE A. BERENSON, ET AL., 1 Petitioners v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Berenson v. Commissioner
Docket Nos. 3677-70, 6069-70, 6088-70, 6116-70, 2920-71, 3870-71.
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1978-89; 1978 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 424; 37 T.C.M. (CCH) 415; T.C.M. (RIA) 780089;
March 6, 1978, Filed
Isidore Feldman, for the petitioners.
Marwin A. Batt and Bernard S. Mark, for the respondent.

QUEALY

SUPPLEMENTAL MEMORANDUM OPINION

QUEALY, Judge: This proceeding arises out of the remand of this Court's opinion by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. .

The petitioners owned all of the stock of Kitro Casuals, Inc., and Marilyn Togs, Inc., both New York corporations engaged in the design, manufacture and marketing of women's sportswear. As of December 31, 1965, petitioners transferred the stock in these*426 corporations to the Temple Beth Ami, a nonprofit religious corporation located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In accordance with the agreement between petitioners and the Temple, the stated consideration for the sale of the stock was $6,000,000, payable solely out of the earnings of the business over a period of 13 years, with stated interest at 4 percent per annum, to be paid in accordance with the following schedule:

Annual AmountQuarterly AmountAllocation Between
Yearto be Paidto be PaidInterest and Principal
1966$ 300,000$ 75,000Principal
1967300,00075,000Principal
1968400,000100,000Principal
1969400,000100,000Principa l
1970400,000100,000Principal
1971500,000125,000Principal
1972600,000150,000Principal
1973700,0001 75,000Principal
1974700,000175,000Principal
1975700,000175,000Principal
19761,000,000250,000Principal
1977920,000230,000Interest
1978920,000230,000Interest
Total$7,840,000
Payments

The Temple was exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(a) and section 501(c)(3), and since it was a "church" within the meaning of section*427 511(a)(2)(A), was also exempt from the tax imposed by section 511(a)(1) on the unrelated business taxable income of some exempt organizations. Following the acquisition of the stock by the Temple, the corporations were dissolved and the business was continued by a limited partnership in which the Temple was a limited parnter and the broker, who arranged for the transaction, was a general partner entitled to an interest of 4 1/2 percent until all obligations had been paid.

In consideration of the facts that the stated price greatly exceeded the value of the business sold, the payments to be received by the sellers were dependent upon future earnings, the services of the principal managing stockholders were required in the operation of the business, and there was no fixed obligation on the part of the purchaser to pay anything except out of earnings, this Court in its original opinion chose to disregard the sale. In substance, we held that the transaction was more in the nature of a sale by the Temple of its exemption rather than a purchase by the Temple of the dress business.

The Court of Appeals did not agree and remanded the case for further proceedings consistent with its*428 opinion. The parties interpret that opinion differently. Accordingly, it is necessary at the outset to consider the direction to us by the Court of Appeals.

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Related

Berenson v. Commissioner
612 F.2d 695 (Second Circuit, 1979)
Louis Berenson v. Commissioner Of Internal Revenue
612 F.2d 695 (Second Circuit, 1979)

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Bluebook (online)
1978 T.C. Memo. 89, 37 T.C.M. 415, 1978 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 424, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/berenson-v-commissioner-tax-1978.