Bialock v. Commissioner

35 T.C. 649, 1961 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 240
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedJanuary 27, 1961
DocketDocket No. 72360
StatusPublished
Cited by28 cases

This text of 35 T.C. 649 (Bialock 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
Bialock v. Commissioner, 35 T.C. 649, 1961 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 240 (tax 1961).

Opinion

AtkiNS, Judge:

The respondent determined deficiencies in income tax for the calendar years 1952 and 1953 in the respective amounts of $6,600.10 and $34,541.46. The basic issue is whether the business conducted in the name of Astell Refractories Company was conducted by the petitioner Harry L. Bialock as a sole proprietorship or whether it was conducted by him and his two minor children as a partnership, the decision of which will determine whether the petitioner is entitled to deduct the full amount of losses sustained by the business and is taxable upon the full amount of gain. Another issue is whether gain derived in 1953 when the assets were transferred to a creditor, who canceled indebtedness, resulted in ordinary income from discharge of such indebtedness.

FINDINGS OF FACT.

Some of the facts are stipulated and are incorporated herein by this reference. The petitioners are husband and wife residing in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. They filed joint income tax returns for the calendar years 1952 and 1953 with the district director of internal revenue at Newark, New Jersey. Since Nancy L. Bialock is a party to this proceeding only because she and her husband filed joint income tax returns for the years 1952 and 1953, Harry L. Bialock will hereinafter be referred to as the petitioner.

During the years 1952 and 1953 the petitioner was primarily engaged in the business of selling boiler tubes and other types of steel tubing to the boiler and other industries. This business was conducted through John B. Astell and Company, Incorporated, the stock of which was owned by petitioner.

In the latter part of 1951 petitioner decided to enter the business of purchasing, warehousing, and selling refractories (firebricks). He entered into an agreement with the Laclede-Christy Company of St. Louis, Missouri (hereinafter referred to as Laclede), whereby he would purchase, warehouse, and sell refractories manufactured by that company. Letters were exchanged between petitioner and Laclede, but they did not enter into a written contract. On or about February 1, 1952, the petitioner organized a business, under the name of Astell Refractories Company, to engage in such business and the petitioner, on behalf of the company, leased warehouse space in Brooklyn, New York, for the warehousing and storage of refractories. No trade style or name was ever registered.

At the time petitioner was organizing this business he discussed with two attorneys in St. Louis the formation of a partnership through the creation of two trusts, one for the benefit of each of his minor children, James G. Bialock, age 15, and Ann Bialock, age 9, the trustees of each trust to be partners in the partnership. As a result of these discussions the attorneys forwarded to petitioner two proposed indentures of trust, bearing date of January 31, 1952, between petitioner as donor and Carolyn Meisel and Irl B. Rosenblum, as trustees, one for the benefit of petitioner’s son, J ames G. Bialock, and the other for the benefit of his daughter, Ann Bialock, designated as “Bialock Trust No. 1” and “Bialock Trust No. 2.” Under the terms of each trust agreement petitioner was to donate $2,500 to each trust. A proposed partnership agreement, bearing date of February 1, 1952, was also forwarded to petitioner by his attorneys, the named partners being the petitioner and Carolyn Meisel and Irl Rosenblum as trustees of the two proposed trusts, to do business in the firm name and style of Astell Refractories Company. Under the provisions of this proposed agreement, the petitioner and each of the two trusts were to make a capital contribution of $2,500. Net profits or losses were to be divided equally among the petitioner and the two trusts. Neither of the two trust indentures nor the partnership agreement was ever executed.

The petitioner discussed the proposed trust indentures and partnership agreement with his accountant, and as a result thereof he had the accountant draw up a new proposed partnership agreement. This document, a printed partnership agreement form, is dated February 1, 1952, and was signed by the petitioner individually. He also signed thereto the name “Ann Bialock per H. L. Bialock Guardian” and the name “James G. Bialock per H. L. Bia-lock Guardian,” although he was never appointed legal guardian of the children. The notary form at the end of the agreement was filled in, but does not bear the signature or seal of a notary public. This document states that the petitioner and Ann Bialock and J ames G. Bialock have agreed to become copartners in business under the firm name of Astell Refractories Company, the partnership to commence on February 1, 1952, and continue until dissolved. It provides that all gains and profits shall be divided among them equally, that each will bear, pay, and discharge equally, all rents and other expenses required for the support and management of the business, but that all loss caused “by ill-commodities, bad debts or otherwise” shall be borne by the petitioner. It also provides that during the existence of the copartnership none of the parties shall dispose of his share without written consent of the other parties, that upon termination of the partnership all property, after equal division of profits to date, shall be distributed to the petitioner, and that upon the death of any partner the surviving partners shall have the privilege of purchasing the interest of the deceased partner. This document was signed by the petitioner at or about February 1,1952, was delivered to his attorney in January 1958, but the respondent’s representative had no knowledge thereof until February 1960.

On February 11, 1952, the petitioner caused his accountant to file in the office of the county clerk of the county of New York, a “Business Certificate for Partners,” bearing the signatures of the petitioner and his two children, in which it was stated that they were conducting business as members of a partnership under the name of Astell Refractories Company, and setting forth the ages of J ames G. Bialock and Ann Bialock as 15 years and 9 years, respectively. This certificate was executed and notarized by the parties on January 15, 1952, although not filed until February 11,1952.

During the period from approximately February 1,1952, until May 31, 1952, Astell Refractories Company purchased refractories from Laclede. Thereafter, up to December 15, 1953, all shipments of refractories by Laclede to Astell Refractories Company were made upon a consignment basis. During this period Laclede also advanced operating capital to Astell Refractories Company when needed. No notes or other instruments of indebtedness were given to Laclede. As of December 15, 1953, there was owing to Laclede and a wholly owned subsidiary an amount of $141,945.45 for materials and money which had been furnished to Astell Refractories Company. The petitioner represented to the accounting firm employed by Laclede that the business was conducted by himself and his two children as equal partners.

The following advances were made by the petitioner to Astell Refractories Company:

1952
Jan. 2_. $5, 000. 00
Jan. 14. 2, 585. 82
Mar. 11. 2, 000. 00
Mar. 31. 2, 000. 00
Apr. 1_. 2, 000. 00
Apr. 28. 1, 000. 00

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
35 T.C. 649, 1961 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 240, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bialock-v-commissioner-tax-1961.