Cummings v. Commissioner

31 T.C. 986, 1959 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 243
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedFebruary 11, 1959
DocketDocket No. 55613
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 31 T.C. 986 (Cummings 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
Cummings v. Commissioner, 31 T.C. 986, 1959 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 243 (tax 1959).

Opinion

OPINION.

Kern, Judge:

Respondent determined a deficiency in Federal estate tax in the estate of Willard H. Cummings in the amount of $9,841.21. That part of the deficiency placed in issue by the pleadings herein results from (1) the increases made by respondent in the valuation of certain real estate owned by decedent, and (2) the disallowance by respondent of the amount of $42,320.60 claimed as a part of the marital deduction on the estate tax return.

The issues relating to the increases in valuation of real property have been settled by the stipulation of the parties, to which effect will be given in proceedings under Rule 50.

The allegations of error in the petition filed herein which relate to the disallowance of an amount claimed as a part of the marital deduction (the sole remaining issue in this case) read as follows:

G. The Commissioner has erred in determining that the amount allowable for the “Marital Deduction” in Schedule M, Form 706, is $156,811.83.
D. With respect to the aforementioned marital deduction the Commissioner has erred in determining that the amount of $42,320.60 claimed as a part of the marital deduction on the return (Form 706) is “unallowable for the reason that under the trust created by the decedent on December 26, 1940 the trustees are directed to pay to the surviving spouse from the principal, at her request, up to $5,000.00 each year during her life. This constitutes a terminable interest which does not qualify for the marital deduction under Internal Revenue Code Section 812(e) (1) (B) and (F) since the surviving spouse does not have the power to appoint the entire corpus of the trust, and she does not have a power to appoint which is exercisable in all events.”

All of the facts have been stipulated by the parties. We incorporate herein by this reference the stipulation of facts.

H. King Cummings is the executor of the estate of Willard H. Cummings, hereinafter referred to as decedent, who died on August 11, 1950. The estate tax return was filed with the then collector of internal revenue for the district of Maine.

On December 18, 1940, decedent created a trust pursuant to the terms of a trust deed reading, in pertinent parts, as follows:

I,WILLARD H. CUMMINGS, of NEWPORT, MAINE, hereinafter called “the Donor”, desire or may in the future desire to deposit with Herbert K. Cummings of said Newport and the Old Colony Trust Company, a Massachusetts corporation, hereinafter called “the Trustees,” one or more policies of insurance upon my life payable to the Trustees, and, at the request of the Donor, the Trustees agree that, upon receipt of the proceeds of said policy or policies, they will manage, invest and reinvest said funds in trust for the following purposes:—
1. To make payment of any loans of the Donor which may be outstanding and wherein the said policies or any of them may be pledged as collateral.
2. To make such payments from income and principal as loans or outright to the wife and children of the Donor as to them seems desirable for their comfortable maintenance and support until either the trust under the residuary clause of the will of the Donor is set up and is paying income to its beneficiaries, or, if there is no such trust created by the will of the Donor, until the estate of the Donor is distributed; thereupon to pay over the trust fund then in its hands to the Trustees under such residuary clause to be added to the property thereunder and held on the trusts therein set forth or, if such payment cannot be made or is in the opinion of the Trustees undesirable because there is no such residuary trust or for any other reason, then to hold the trust fund as follows:
3. To pay the net income to the wife of the Donor not less often than quarterly and after the death of the survivor of the Donor and his wife to pay such income similarly to the issue of the Donor in equal shares by right of representation until the trust fund is distributed as hereinafter provided.
4. As each child of the Donor reaches the age of thirty (30) years (the Donor and his wife having deceased) there shall be distributed to said child one third of the share of the trust fund from which he or she has been receiving income, one half of the balance of his or her said share upon reaching the age of thirty-five (35) years, and the balance of said share upon reaching the age of forty (40) years. If any child shall die leaving issue, distribution as above provided shall be made to said issue at the time said distribution would have been made if said child had not deceased. If any child should decease without issue before receiving his or her full distributive share hereunder any such balance then remaining shall be distributed to the surviving children or their issue as above provided.
5. During the life of the Donor’s wife the trustees shall make such disbursements to her from time to time from the principal fund as she may request (but not in excess of $5,000 in any one year) and upon and after her decease and before the trust fund is distributed as above directed the trustees may, in their discretion, make such disbursements (but not in excess of $2,000 a year to any distributee) from the principal fund to the persons then entitled to income payments hereunder as they may deem necessary for their comfort, any such disbursements to be applied against the interest of such distributee hereunder.
*******
8. The interest of any beneficiary hereunder, either as to income or principal, shall not be anticipated, alienated or in any other manner assigned by such beneficiary and shall not be subject to any legal process, bankruptcy proceedings or the interference or control of creditors or others.
[[Image here]]
11. The Trustees shall each year render an account of their administration of the trust to the person or persons of full age entitled at the time to receive the income thereof. Such person’s or persons’ written approval of such an account shall, as to all matters and transactions stated therein or shown thereby, be final and binding upon all persons (whether in being or not) who are then or may thereafter become entitled to share in either the principal or the income of the trust.

No trusts were created under the decedent’s last will.

No payments have been made by the trustees of said trust to any beneficiary other than Helen W. Cummings, surviving widow of the decedent.

The executor on decedent’s estate tax return included the value of the trust property in the gross estate and claimed a marital deduction, based upon the interest of Helen W. Cummings in said trust property. The amount of the marital deduction based upon said interest was computed and described on the estate tax return as follows:

Life Insurance Trust Fund

Rights to Beneficiary — Mrs. Helen W. Oummings, Wife of Decedent:

Annual Payment from Principal of Fund permitted under Trust Agreement_ $5,000.00

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

Related

Estate of Schildkraut v. Commissioner
1965 T.C. Memo. 239 (U.S. Tax Court, 1965)
Cummings v. Commissioner
31 T.C. 986 (U.S. Tax Court, 1959)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
31 T.C. 986, 1959 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 243, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cummings-v-commissioner-tax-1959.