Brickert v. Commissioner

37 T.C. 57, 1961 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 53
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedOctober 19, 1961
DocketDocket No. 74980
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 37 T.C. 57 (Brickert 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
Brickert v. Commissioner, 37 T.C. 57, 1961 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 53 (tax 1961).

Opinion

Atkins, Judge:

The respondent determined a deficiency in estate tax in the amount of $12,997.31, which resulted from increasing the value of one piece of real estate by the amount of $6,163.88 and the disallowance of an amount of $45,000 claimed as deductions for claims against the estate. The petitioner concedes that the respondent correctly increased the value of the parcel of real estate by $6,163.88. The only remaining issue for decision relates to the $45,000 item. In the petition no claim is made that the $45,000 represented debts of the estate. Instead, it is alleged that the value of the property included in the gross estate should be decreased by the amount of $45,000 as representing the interest of some of the decedent’s children in certain of the real estate resulting from their contributions to the purchase price thereof in that amount.

FINDINGS OF FACT.

Some of the facts have been stipulated and are incorporated herein by this reference.

Charles W. Brickert died intestate on February 9, 1955, a resident of Oswego, Kendall County, Illinois. The estate was duly filed for probate in the County Court of Kendall County, and Gladys Brickert, daughter of the decedent, was appointed and duly qualified as the administratrix of the estate.

The petitioner’s Federal estate tax return was filed with the district director of internal revenue, Chicago, Illinois, on April 16, 1956.

In addition to Gladys, the other surviving children of the decedent were Fred, Robert, John, and Charles. These five children were the heirs at law of the decedent.

Prior to 1926 the decedent and his wife, Martha, began acquiring real property in the area surrounding Chicago, Illinois. Some of these properties were retained by them, but some were traded for other properties. In 1927 they acquired two pieces of real estate.

One of such properties acquired in 1927 was located in Argo and will be referred to as the Argo property. It was acquired in their joint names and consisted of a three-story building containing seven flats and a store.1 The purchase price of this property was approximately $45,000 and was acquired in a trade, the purchasers giving two mortgages totaling $25,000. The decedent and his family lived in one of the flats, and income was derived from rentals of the remainder of the property. The amount of rental received in 1927 was about $160 per month, but the amount' varied due to vacancies at times.

The other property acquired in 1927 was located in Oswego and will be referred to as the Oswego property.2 It consisted of about 22 acres of land. It was acquired in the name of the decedent alone. The record does not show the purchase price of this property or the manner of payment of the purchase price.

Fred graduated from high school in 1928 at the age of about 18 and commenced working. Fie continued to live with his parents and took most of his meals there until he was married in 1945. During that period he turned over all of his earnings to his father except about $5 per week which he kept for spending money. Flis wages in 1928 were $18 a week from May to December. At that time his wages were increased to $23 a week and that continued for about 4 years, when he was paid $40 to $45 a week. That continued for about 4 years, at which time his salary was raised to about $55 a week and that continued for a few years, at which time his wages were increased to $60 or $65 a week.

Charles was about a year younger than Fred. He also lived with the family and received all or most of his meals there. He started to work in May 1930, and earned about $18 a week for 2 or 3 years. Flis earnings thereafter were about $40 per week until his entry into the Army in 1942. Fie also turned over his earnings tq his parents. Charles died a few months before the hearing in the instant case.

Gladys graduated from high school in 1930 and worked froto that time until about 1940. She earned from $10 to $12 a week until about 1932 or 1933. At that time she began receiving about $15 to $20 a week and this continued until 1940. She also worked a while in 1942 and received from $25 to $28 a week. Gladys also lived with‘her parents and turned over her earnings to them.

There were three other Brickert children, Robert, John, and William, all of whom lived with their parents. William drowned in 1940 at the age of 13. Robert started high school in 1930 and graduated in 1936. He started working in 1936 and was married in 1939. During the period from 1936 to 1939, he turned over his earnings to his parents. John, the youngest of the surviving children, was bom about 1923. During the 4 years he was in high school he worked after school hours and when he graduated in 1940 he took a regular job. He gave all his earnings to his mother until he entered the military service in January 1943.

Prior to 1927, the decedent worked as a carpenter and for a while in 1927 he operated a bakery shop, but thereafter he was not employed and earned no income.

None of the children ever paid their parents any amount specifically for board and lodging. The food, clothing, and other necessary expenses for the members of the family were paid for out of the money which was earned by the children and turned over to their parents and out of any income available from investments. The money available after payment of the family expenses was used to pay off mortgages on property which had been purchased or in the purchase of additional properties. After the purchases above referred to, no further properties were purchased until 1938. The spending of money for entertainment and automobiles and the like was discouraged by the decedent and his wife. The purchase of real estate was the common everyday talk in the household. Specific purchases were discussed with the children. The children would examine certain properties and express their opinions as to whether they should be purchased. The properties were purchased with small downpayments and monthly installments. None of the children knew how much of his earnings was applied toward the purchase of any particular property, and there was never any discussion as to how much would be paid by each child, except that in determining whether to buy property the family discussed the availability of the earnings of the children. There was never any decision that any particular child should have any specified interest in any particular property. Properties were always purchased in the name of the decedent or the decedent and his wife as a matter of course and there was never any discussion about tbe manner of taking title. The children always assumed that title would be taken in the names of their parents.

From 1938 to 1944, the decedent and his wife made six purchases of real estate, taking title in their joint names. These properties, together with the dates of purchase, the cost where shown, and the value thereof as stated in the estate tax return are as follows:

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There was a small house on each of two of these properties which was rented and produced some income. The Hadley property was used for growing crops such as beans and corn.

Occasionally the decedent and his wife sold properties.

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Related

Brickert v. Commissioner
37 T.C. 57 (U.S. Tax Court, 1961)

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Bluebook (online)
37 T.C. 57, 1961 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 53, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brickert-v-commissioner-tax-1961.