Buehner v. Commissioner

65 T.C. 723, 1976 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 176
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedJanuary 19, 1976
DocketDocket No. 6757-73
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 65 T.C. 723 (Buehner 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
Buehner v. Commissioner, 65 T.C. 723, 1976 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 176 (tax 1976).

Opinion

OPINION

The case at bar requires us to consider the tax consequences flowing from the events that occurred between petitioner, OBC, the pension trust, and the CR trusts. Specifically, we must determine whether the income realized by the CR trusts on the transfers of its assets to the pension trust is attributable and taxable to the petitioner, and whether the petitioner is entitled to charitable contribution deductions for the contribution of these assets to the CR trusts.

Respondent’s first argument is that the CR trusts were not independent entities, but rather were devices used by the petitioner to accomplish goals other than those formally stated. He points to petitioner’s constant position of authority and control over the entities involved, an alleged inconsistent manner (i.e., inconsistent with the asserted charitable purposes of the CR trusts) in which the transactions occurred, and the noncharitable benefits that accrued to OBC and the pension trust. Respondent believes that, when viewed in its entirety, the creation of the CR trusts must fail for lack of economic reality and charitable purpose.

We have been presented with four duly executed trust documents. Respondent does not question their validity under State law. However, as this Court said in Irvine K. Furman, 45 T.C. 360, 364 (1966), affd. per curiam 381 F. 2d 22 (5th Cir. 1967):

A finding of validity under State law, however, does not mean that the trust will necessarily be recognized for tax purposes. It cannot be gainsaid that a taxpayer has “the legal right * * * to decrease the amount of what otherwise would be his taxes, or altogether avoid them, by means which the law permits.” See Gregory v. Helvering, 293 U.S. 465, 469 (1935). While this may be doctrine, it is not dogma and certainly it does not confer a license to substitute form for substance. As has recently been stated: “It is always open to the Commissioner to assess deficiencies on the ground that regardless of regularity of form as a matter of plutological reality, there was no substantial change in economic ownership.” Burde v. Commissioner, 352 F. 2d 995 (C.A. 2, 1965).

In Furman the ultimate conclusion was “not premised upon the retention of dominion and control over the trust by [the taxpayer], but on the absence of economic reality.” Irvine K. Furman, 45 T.C. at 366.

The four irrevocable CR trusts were established by petitioner between 1962 and 1965. In each petitioner and Irene were named as trustees, a life income interest in the trust corpus was reserved for them, and upon the death of the survivor the remainder was to be distributed to either the foundation or the LDS Church. The stated purpose of each of these CR trusts is to provide for charitable contributions for the remaindermen who at all times relevant herein were charitable organizations qualifying for deductible contributions under section 170.

In the case at bar although petitioner, as trustee, retained control over the corpus we believe that he effectively relinquished the remainder interest in the contributed property. It seems clear that these interests were irrevocably committed to the charitable remaindermen. One of the remaindermen, the LDS Church, was notified of some of the transfers to the CR trusts and did receive copies of the trust instruments. We believe these circumstances indicate that the CR trusts were independent entities created for a valid charitable purpose and cannot be ignored. See Alden B. Oakes, 44 T.C. 524, 530 (1965).

Respondent argues that the manner in which petitioner, who was in control in varying capacities of the entities involved, conducted the questioned transactions clearly shows that the CR trusts were not created for their stated charitable purpose. He points mainly to the fact that the CR trusts accepted the unsecured notes of OBC in violation of the CR trusts’ terms.

Administrative irregularities committed by the trustee do not necessarily mean that the trusts do not have substance. We believe that the CR trusts were valid when they were created and that they effectively conveyed the remainder interest in the corpus to the charitable remaindermen. Petitioner, as trustee, might well have been liable to the beneficiaries of the CR trusts if such irregularities impaired their interests, but it does not follow that such activity causes the petitioner as grantor of the CR trusts to be taxed on the income of the CR trusts. Hamiel’s Estate v. Commissioner, 253 F. 2d 787 (6th Cir. 1958), remanding a Memorandum Opinion of this Court.

In Litta Matthaei, 4 T.C. 1132, 1139 (1945), this Court said with respect to this point:

While it may have been violative of the grantors’ fiduciary obligations, if not of the laws of the State of Michigan regulating the administration of trusts, for the trustees to commingle the trust funds with their personal funds as they did prior to the establishment of the trust accounts, and on occasions to borrow or appropriate trust funds for their own use, it does not follow that the trusts were without substance. The final accounting of the trust funds after the death of Emma in 1943 found the trust funds all intact. The actual accretions to the original corpora of the trusts in the form of dividends and interest were readily ascertainable and all of such income has been accounted for in the trust portfolios and bank accounts.

Although, as of the time of trial, a final accounting had not been necessary, we do note that the unsecured notes were later replaced with notes secured by adequate collateral, and that during the years in issue appropriate records were kept and corresponding tax returns were filed reflecting the various interests in the CR trusts.

Respondent also argues that the true nature and purpose of the CR trusts are revealed when the benefits that accrued to OBC and the pension trust are considered. In this light respondent’s position is that the CR trusts were created for tax-avoidance purposes and have no independent significance of their own. With respect to this question we áre faced with .the seemingly conflicting interpretations of Gregory v. Helvering, 293 U.S. 465 (1935), and other cases. See Irvine K. Furman, 45 T.C. at 364; Alden B. Oakes, supra at 532.

In Estelle Morris Trusts, 51 T.C. 20 (1968), affd. 427 F. 2d 1361 (9th Cir. 1970), this Court found that 20 trusts established by two documents were created primarily for tax-avoidance (income-splitting) purposes, but that this finding was not enough to invalidate the múltiple trusts. This conclusion was in part based on “the realization that the Internal Revenue Code, by recognizing even one trust for tax purposes, sanctions to some degree income splitting' and the resulting lessening of taxes,” Estelle Morris Trusts, 51 T.C. at 39.

The CR trusts, then, as recognized entities for tax purposes are certainly able to enter into transactions with other entities. The fact that tax advantages accrue from these transactions should have no effect on the viability (for tax purposes) of the CR trusts. Nor do we believe that the respondent’s position, in this regard, is enhanced by emphasizing the petitioner’s position with respect to the CR trusts and the other entities involved.

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Bluebook (online)
65 T.C. 723, 1976 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 176, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/buehner-v-commissioner-tax-1976.