Darlington v. Commissioner

36 T.C. 599, 1961 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 114
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedJune 30, 1961
DocketDocket No. 80627
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 36 T.C. 599 (Darlington 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
Darlington v. Commissioner, 36 T.C. 599, 1961 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 114 (tax 1961).

Opinion

Mulroney, Judge:

The respondent determined a deficiency in petitioner’s estate tax of $12,635.38. The sole question for decision is whether the petitioner is entitled to a deduction for Pennsylvania inheritance tax paid on amounts passing to charities under section 2053(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.1

FINDINGS OF FACT.

Some of the facts have been stipulated. They are found accordingly.

Petitioner, the Estate of Isaac Gr. Darlington, filed its estate tax return with the district director of internal revenue at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 10,1958.

Isaac Gr. Darlington died testate on October 10, 1956. He was a resident of Swarthmore, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, at the time of his death.

In addition to certain pecuniary and specific bequests, all of which have been paid in full, the decedent by his will devised and bequeathed his residuary estate as follows:

1/10 to each of five cousins.
11/25 to Swarthmore College.
1/50 to American Friends Service Committee.
1/50 to Salvation Army.
1/125 to West Chester Friends Meeting.
1/125 to Taylor Hospital.
1/250 to Delta Upsilon Fraternity.

Swarthmore College, West Chester Friends Meeting, American Friends Service Committee, Salvation Army, and Taylor Hospital are organizations with respect to which bequests, legacies, devises, or transfers are deductible under section 2055 in determining the taxable estate.

Paragraph Ninth of decedent’s will is as follows:

NINTH: I direct that any and all inheritance, estate, succession, transfer and other death taxes that may be assessed in consequence of my death, of whatever nature and by whatever jurisdiction imposed, and regardless of the nature and ownership of the property at the time of my death on which the same may be assessed or imposed or to which the same may be attributed, shall be paid out of the principal of my residuary estate; and my executors and trustees shall have the absolute power in their discretion to pay the same at once, whether or not the law under which the same are imposed permits the postponement of payment of all or part of them to a later time.

On September 3, 1957, the executors filed an inheritance tax return with the Commonwealth, of Pennsylvania setting forth gross assets of $1,507,860.03 and deductions of $119,398.85, reflecting a net taxable estate for Pennsylvania transfer inheritance tax purposes of $1,388,461.18 and resulting in a tax of $198,519.18, which has been paid.2 Of this amount $62,828.72 represents Pennsylvania inheritance taxes paid with respect to the bequests passing to the five charities mentioned above.

In computing the taxable estate for Federal estate tax purposes the executors elected to take the said amount of the Pennsylvania inheritance taxes paid on the charitable bequests as a deduction under section 2053 (d). The amount of tax shown on the estate tax return, computed taking said deduction into account, was $320,597.60. It was paid at the time of filing said return.

In April 1959, respondent issued a deficiency notice to the petitioner in which he determined a deficiency in estate tax of $12,635.38. The determination resulted from respondent’s disallowance of the deduction for the amount of Pennsylvania inheritance taxes on the bequests to the charities. In explanation of the disallowance, the statutory notice stated:

Deduction is not allowable for Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax imposed on the bequests to charity because the resulting tax benefit does not inure solely to the benefit of charity. See Section 2053(d)(2) * * * and Regulations 20:2053(9) (b).

In June 1959, after filing a petition with this Court, the executors paid $13,728.08 to the district director at Philadelphia representing the deficiency and interest due thereon.

In October 1957, the Orphans’ Court of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, confirmed the first and final account of the executors of the estate. In accord with the requirements of the adjudication, a schedule of distribution was filed and approved by the said court in August 1959.

On July 12,1960, the executors filed a petition in the said Orphans’ Court entitled “Petition por Citation to Show Cause Why Adjudication Should Not be Re-opened.” This petition stated, in part, as follows:

7. Your Petitioners have been advised and, therefore, aver that the estate tax deficiency of approximately $12,000 will be expunged only upon showing to the said Tax Court of the United States that the savings in estate tax resulting from claiming the inheritance taxes attributable to the charitable and religious legatees as a deduction will inure solely for- the benefit of such charitable and religious legatees.
8. Your Petitioners have been advised and, therefore, aver that unless the Adjudication is amended to provide that all said savings should inure solely for the benefit of such of the parties entitled to the residuary estate as are recognized charities under the Internal Revenue Code and supporting regulations, a deficiency in excess of $12,000 in Federal Estate Tax will have to be paid at the expense of all of the residuary legatees.
WherefoRE, your Petitioners respectfully request your Honorable Court to issue a citation to show cause why the Adjudication of your Honorable Court dated October 24,1957, should not be re-opened in order that it may be amended to provide that all savings which may be derived through the election of the Executors to treat Pennsylvania Inheritance Taxes on charitable gifts as a deduction rather than as a credit against Federal Estate Tax shall inure solely for the benefit of such of the parties interested in the residue of the estate as are recognized as charities under the Internal Revenue Code and supporting regulations, * * *

On July 18, 1960, the petition was granted by the Orphans’ Court and citations were served on the remaindermen directing them to show cause why the adjudication should not be reopened. On August 18, 1960, a hearing was held in open court. At this hearing the attorney for the executors briefed and argued his position. No opposing argument or briefs were presented by any other party in interest nor did any other attorney enter an appearance. The Orphans’ Court on September 1, 1960, issued a memorandum opinion3 and the following day issued an amended adjudication in which it granted the prayer of the petition, reopened the adjudication, and amended it by adding the following provisions :

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

Related

Emmons v. Commissioner
92 T.C. No. 20 (U.S. Tax Court, 1989)
Lanigan v. Commissioner
45 T.C. 247 (U.S. Tax Court, 1965)
Watson v. McGinnes
240 F. Supp. 833 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 1965)
Bosch v. Commissioner
43 T.C. 120 (U.S. Tax Court, 1964)
Hagenlocher v. Commissioner
42 T.C. 1015 (U.S. Tax Court, 1964)
Darlington v. Commissioner
36 T.C. 599 (U.S. Tax Court, 1961)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
36 T.C. 599, 1961 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 114, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/darlington-v-commissioner-tax-1961.