Condit v. Commissioner

40 T.C. 24, 1963 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 158
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedApril 10, 1963
DocketDocket No. 88168
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 40 T.C. 24 (Condit 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
Condit v. Commissioner, 40 T.C. 24, 1963 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 158 (tax 1963).

Opinion

FisheR, Judge:

Respondent has determined a deficiency of $2,238.31 in petitioner’s income tax for 1957. The sole question in issue is whether petitioner is entitled to an ordinary loss deduction on account of the transfer by him to the extent of $6,100 of his interest in a note and 50 shares of stock of The Dorman Co. made in connection with settlement of affairs of John E. Burks, Inc., which latter company was insolvent.

FINDINGS OF FACT

Petitioner is a resident of Tulsa, Okla. His return for 1957 was filed with the director of internal revenue at Oklahoma City.

In 1954, petitioner and a business acquaintance, Raymond B. Con-ard, were considering going together into some kind of business enterprise. Petitioner was a manufacturer’s representative and Conard was in the general construction business. Petitioner and Conard finally decided to open a Western Anto Associate Store. The store was built on land owned by Conard. A third party, John E. Burks, was engaged to act as store manager and for his services was to receive a small salary plus one-third of the store profits.

Petitioner and Conard first considered forming a partnership or joint venture to operate the store. They agreed (and have continued to agree during all periods here relevant) that they would share profits and losses equally. On advice of their counsel, however, they decided to organize two separate corporations, one, the Dorman Co., to hold title to the land, and the other, John E. Burks, Inc., to operate the store. Their reasons for separate corporations were to isolate each of the corporations from the risks of the other and to limit their own individual liability.

John E. Burks, Inc., hereinafter referred to as Burks, Inc., was incorporated January 8, 1955, and the Dorman Co. on March 9, 1955. Each of the companies issued 150 shares of $10 par value stock. Petitioner, Conard, and Burks each paid in $500 to each corporation and received 50 shares of the stock each. Conard loaned Burks the money for his investment in the stock.

Title to the land and store building, known as 3120 South Winston Street, Tulsa, Okla., was conveyed to the Dorman Co. and the store was opened for business about April 1, 1955. Petitioner loaned the Dorman Co. $10,500 in cash and received a promissory note of the Dorman Co. for that amount secured by a second mortgage on its property. Burks, Inc., borrowed on its own promissory notes $30,000 from Brookside State Bank at Tulsa, and $6,000 from Maud C. Boswell. Both petitioner and Conard were personally liable on these notes.

The store was unsuccessful from the beginning. It sustained operating losses of $9,352.92 in 1955, and $33,845.99 in 1956. In February 1956, petitioner decided that the business was a failure and told Conard that he wanted to close it down before more losses were incurred. Conard was more optimistic and wanted to continue a while longer. By August 1956 he too was ready to accept failure and it was decided to liquidate the business. Burks gave up the management of the store in June 1956 and assigned his shares of stock in Burks, Inc., and the Dorman Co. to Conard, who had loaned him the money to purchase them. Thereafter, the books and records of Burks, Inc., were kept by Conard who supervised the liquidation.

In the meantime Conard, personally, had made cash advances to Burks of $17,600, of which $10,000 had been advanced after February 1956, when petitioner first suggested closing down the business. Petitioner had not guaranteed repayment of any of the $17,600 advanced by Conard.

In December 1956, petitioner made a payment of $6,600 to Brookside State Bank on his liability on the Burks, Inc., note and wrote Conard the following letter—

Decembeb 28, 1966.
Me. R. B. Conard,
SS16 South Orhana,
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Deab Rat : Even though we have not as yet definitely determined my share of the loss in our Western Auto venture, I am, for personal reasons, making a payment on the note we have endorsed at the Brookside State Bank during the calendar year 1966.
This payment will be in the amount of six thousand and six hundred dollars ($6,600.00).
I wanted you to know that this payment was being made so that full credit for it could be realized when the exact amount of my own losses is calculated.
I sincerely hope that 1957 turns out to be a most satisfactory year for you and yours in all ways.
Sincerely,

In his income tax return for 1956 petitioner deducted the $6,600 paid to Brookside State Bank as a nonbusiness bad debt and also claimed a long-term capital loss deduction of $500 on his 50 shares of Burks, Inc., stock. These deductions are not at issue in this proceeding.

On February 19, 1957, petitioner and Conard entered into an agreement providing as follows:

AGREEMENT
In consideration of the mutual covenants herein expressed, D. J. Condit and Ray Conard of Tulsa, Oklahoma, do hereby agree as follows:
The parties have been associated since about January 1, 1956, jointly as stockholders and as creditors of John E. Burks, Inc., a corporation formed for the purpose of operating a Western Auto Association store at 31st and Winston, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and, since March, 1955, as stockholders and creditors of the Dorman Company, a corporation formed for the purpose of owning and renting the building located at the same address.
The operation of the Western Auto store has resulted in a substantial loss, which cannot be precisely determined at this time, but which the parties, for the purpose of this agreement, stipulate to be $47,000.00. This amount consists, of the following:
Final balance of Brookside State Bank loan, after application of all funds, now in bank or collectible on Accounts Receivable.
Estimated to be-$20, 000. 00
Balance on Boswell loan, including accrued interest_ 5, 800. 00
Loans by Ray Conard- 17, 600. 00
Estimated amount of loss on amount due Western Auto, less, collections to be made on contracts_ 3, 600. 00
47, 000. 00
Condit has made known his desire to discontinue the business before Conard was willing to do so. For this reason, it was agreed that Condit should not share in losses by Conard of money advanced by him after Condit expressed a desire to discontinue the business. The sum advanced by Conard after said date was agreed to have been $10,000.00, leaving a loss of $37,000.00 which the parties hereby agree to share equally.
It is agreed that Condit will bear his one-half of the loss of $37,000 in the following manner:
By payment on the Brookside State Bank note_$6, 600. 00

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Ira and Tracy Nathel v. Commissioner
131 T.C. No. 17 (U.S. Tax Court, 2008)
Nathel v. Comm'r
131 T.C. No. 17 (U.S. Tax Court, 2008)
United States v. Vaughan (In re Vaughan)
21 B.R. 695 (E.D. Kentucky, 1982)
Fred H. Lenway & Co. v. Commissioner
69 T.C. 620 (U.S. Tax Court, 1978)
Golder v. Commissioner
1976 T.C. Memo. 150 (U.S. Tax Court, 1976)
Hudlow v. Commissioner
1971 T.C. Memo. 218 (U.S. Tax Court, 1971)
Siple v. Commissioner
54 T.C. 1 (U.S. Tax Court, 1970)
Martin v. Commissioner
52 T.C. 140 (U.S. Tax Court, 1969)
Santa Anita Consol., Inc. v. Commissioner
50 T.C. 536 (U.S. Tax Court, 1968)
Kamler v. Commissioner
1966 T.C. Memo. 46 (U.S. Tax Court, 1966)
Schlosser v. Commissioner
1965 T.C. Memo. 186 (U.S. Tax Court, 1965)
Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. D. J. Condit
333 F.2d 585 (Tenth Circuit, 1964)
Condit v. Commissioner
40 T.C. 24 (U.S. Tax Court, 1963)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
40 T.C. 24, 1963 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 158, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/condit-v-commissioner-tax-1963.