Darcy v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue

66 F.2d 581, 3 U.S. Tax Cas. (CCH) 1152, 12 A.F.T.R. (P-H) 1284, 1933 U.S. App. LEXIS 2725
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Second Circuit
DecidedAugust 24, 1933
Docket363
StatusPublished
Cited by29 cases

This text of 66 F.2d 581 (Darcy v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Darcy v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, 66 F.2d 581, 3 U.S. Tax Cas. (CCH) 1152, 12 A.F.T.R. (P-H) 1284, 1933 U.S. App. LEXIS 2725 (2d Cir. 1933).

Opinion

CHASE, Circuit Judge.

The facts are not in dispute and were found by the Board of Tax Appeals as follows:

“Findings of Fact.

“The petitioners, residents of New York State, are the executors of the estate of James . Temple Gwathmey who died June 11, 1924. The decedent, prior to his death, was a member of the partnership of George H. McFadden & Bro., commission cotton factors, having its principal office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and an office in New York City. He was the resident partner in charge of the New York City office. The partnership agreement, in effect at the time of the decedent’s death, contained the following material provisions:

“ 'Article III. * * * The interest of J. Temple Gwathmey shall be limited solely to participation in the profits of the New York Office of George H. McFadden & Bro., to the extent of fifty per cent. (50%) thereof. Said Gwathmey, as between the partners, of George H. McFadden & Bro., shall be liable only for the losses of the New York Office of George H. McFadden & Bro., in the same proportion as he is entitled to share in said profits. Said Gwathmey shall have no interest or participation in the profits other than the above recited share of profits of the New York Office, nor in the assets, firm name or good will of the firm of George H. McFadden & Bro. The amount of profits and losses and the amount of business of the New York Office of George H. McFadden & Bro., shall be determined from time to time by the partners of George H. McFadden & Bro., other than said Gwathmey, and such determination shall be final and conclusive on the said Gwathmey.’

“ 'Article VIII. In case of the death of one of the partners during the currency of any business year, his interest shall be continued until the expiration of said year, being credited with profits less withdrawals, or charged with losses plus withdrawals. At the expiration of said year the estate *583 of said partner shall be credited with the amount which was to his credit at the last periodica] ascertainment of values plus said profits less withdrawals, or minus said losses plus withdrawals.

“ ‘If the business of tho partnership be continued by some or all of the remaining partners by a firm composed of some or all of the remaining partners, either alone or in connection with others, tho new firm shall put to the credit of the estate of the dead partner the amount thus ascertained, together with any interest upon his capital accruing since the last ascertainment of his contribution. The estate shall be a creditor of tho new partnership and shall bo entitled to be paid one-fifth in cash at the end of tho business year and the residue in four equal annual installments, with interest at the rate of eight per centum (8%) per annum, payable quarterly. * # •

“ ‘It shall be optional with the new firm to anticipate the payment of the whole or any port of the principal due to the deceased partners upon tho expiration of thirty (30) days’ notice to the personal representative of such deceased partners.’

“The books of account of tho New York office, prior to the year 1924 had been closed as of July 31, but in 1924 this branch changed its practice to conform to that of tho Philadelphia office and, for the year 1924, said books were closed as of August 31. The Federal income tax returns of the partnership which included the operations of the New York office for tho year 1924 and tho prior year, were filed on the basis of a fiscal year ended August 31. Tho decedent used the calendar year in reporting his income on the basis of cash receipts and disbursements. The executors continued the same manner and method used by the decedent.

“The surviving partners continued the business until the end of the partnership’s fiscal year, August 31, 1924, and determined the decedent’s share of the partnership’s profits in accordance with the partnership agreement to be $157,694.90 as of the closing date. The decedent had withdrawn $1,322.81 during the period January 1, 1924 to June 11, 1924, leaving a balance of $156,-372.09. This latter amount was included in tlie total amount to which the estate became entitled under the partnership agreement as tho result of an accounting and a distribution in liquidation of the partnership interests of the deceased. Said total amount was credited to the estate on the partnership books on March 9, 1925, and paid on tho same date. An agreement was also entered into on tho same date- between the executors and the surviving partners whereby tho former released the latter from further liability beyond the total amount to which the estate was entitled. The partnership books were not closed as of the date of tho decedent’s death nor at any time other than a,t the end of its fiscal year August 31, 1924.

“The decedent reported his share of the partnership profits of the Now York office for its fiscal year ended July 31, 1923, in his return for the calendar year 1923.

“The .executors filed a return for the decedent covering the period January 1, 1924 to June 11, 1924, showing his withdrawals of $1,322.81 as income from the partnership. The respondent, upon an audit of this return, determined that the amount of $157,694.90 representing the decedent’s distributive share of the partnership income as of August 31, 1924, covered the 13 months’ period from August 1, 1923 to Aixgust 31, 1924. He computed the 13 months’ period as 407 days and the period from August 1, 1923 to June 11, 1924, as 328 days and determined 328/407 of $157,-694.90 or $125,520.27 as the amount taxable on the return for the period January 1, 1924 to June 11, 1924. Inasmuch as $3,-322.81 had been returned as income, he increased said amount by adding $124,197.56 and computed the tax partly at 1923 and partly at 1924 rates. Thereupon'by a notice dated and mailed December 27, 1929, the respondent notified tho petitioners of a deficiency in decedent’s income tax for tho period January 1,1924 to June 11, 1924, amounting to. $39,587.43.

“The return covering the period January 1, 1924 to Juno 11, 1924, was filed in the Collector’s office in Nefw York City on March 16, 1925. This return was signed ‘James S. Darcy, Executor.’ On January 26, 1929, a waiver covering this same period was filed in the office of the revenue agent in charge in New York City. This waiver reads as follows:

“ ‘January 25,1929.
“ ‘In pursuance oE the provisions of existing Internal Revenue Laws James Temple Gwathmey, deceased, a taxpayer of New York, New York, and the Commissioner of Internal Revenue hereby consent and agree as follows:
*584 “‘That the amount of any income, excess-profits, or war-profits, taxes due under any return made by or on behalf of the above named taxpayer for the year January 1, 1924 to June 11, 1924, under existing aets, or under prior revenue aets, may be assessed at any time on or before December 31, 1929, exeept that, if a notice of a deficiency in tax is sent to said taxpayer by registered mail on or before said date then the time for making any assessment as aforesaid shall be extended beyond the said date by the number of days during which the Commissioner is prohibited from making an assessment and for sixty days thereafter.
“ ‘James' Temple Gwathmey, Deceased, Taxpayer.

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Bluebook (online)
66 F.2d 581, 3 U.S. Tax Cas. (CCH) 1152, 12 A.F.T.R. (P-H) 1284, 1933 U.S. App. LEXIS 2725, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/darcy-v-commissioner-of-internal-revenue-ca2-1933.