Deutschmann v. Commissioner

1966 T.C. Memo. 229, 25 T.C.M. 1188, 1966 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 55
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedOctober 19, 1966
DocketDocket No. 1272-65.
StatusUnpublished

This text of 1966 T.C. Memo. 229 (Deutschmann 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
Deutschmann v. Commissioner, 1966 T.C. Memo. 229, 25 T.C.M. 1188, 1966 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 55 (tax 1966).

Opinion

Tobe C. and Julie Deutschmann v. Commissioner.
Deutschmann v. Commissioner
Docket No. 1272-65.
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1966-229; 1966 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 55; 25 T.C.M. (CCH) 1188; T.C.M. (RIA) 66229;
October 19, 1966

*55 Capital gains v. ordinary income: Employment contract: Covenant not to compete: Sales of capital stock. - The taxpayer transferred a majority interest in his corporation to the C corporation and entered into a covenant not to compete and consultation agreement with C, receiving certain payments from C. Held: the agreement was no sham. The payments were received by the taxpayer for his covenant not to compete and his availability for consulting services, even though he performed no services. Accordingly, the payments are taxable as ordinary income and not at capital gains rates.

Additions to tax: Failure to file: Reasonable cause: Absence of proof. - For failing to mention or to prove alleged "reasonable cause" for not filing timely income tax returns, the taxpayers are subject to the additions to tax under Code Sec. 6551(a) as determined by the Commissioner.

Daniel D. Levenson, for the petitioners. James E. Markham, Jr., for the respondent.

DAWSON

Memorandum Findings of Fact and Opinion

DAWSON, Judge: Respondent determined the following income tax deficiencies and additions to tax:

Addition to Tax
YearDeficiency(Sec. 6651(a))
1957$ 250.75
1958620.33
195933,725.22$7,584.09
196013,042.482,608.50
The deficiencies for 1957 and 1958 are attributable to the disallowance of the 1960 net operating loss tentatively allowed as carrybacks to 1957 and 1958.

The primary issue presented for decision is whether payments made by Cornell-Dubilier Electric Corporation to Tobe Deutschmann in 1959 and 1960 were solely for an employment contract and covenant not to compete, and thus taxable as ordinary income, or whether they represented capital gains as consideration for the sale of capital stock or its equivalent in the Tobe Deutschmann Corporation. A second issue is whether the petitioners are liable for the addition to tax imposed by section 6651(a), Internal Revenue Code of 1954, because of their failure to file timely*57 joint Federal income tax returns for 1959 and 1960.

Findings of Fact

Some of the facts have been stipulated. The stipulation of facts and exhibits attached thereto are incorporated herein by this reference.

Tobe C. Deutschmann (hereafter called petitioner) and Julie Deutschmann are husband and wife residing in Canton, Massachusetts. They filed their joint Federal income tax returns for the years 1957 through 1960 with the district director of internal revenue at Boston, Massachusetts. The income tax returns for the taxable years 1959 and 1960 were not filed within the time prescribed by law and were not received by the district director of internal revenue at Boston until July 27, 1961.

The Tobe Deutschmann Corporation (hereafter called Deutschmann Corporation) was incorporated in Delaware in 1929 and was actively engaged in the research and manufacture of capacitors. It was the first company to make commercial energy storage capacitors.

In the mid-1950's, Deutschmann Corporation determined that for expansion it would be necessary to obtain financial support from a large company. It was in financial difficulty as shown by its earned deficit of $518,000 in September 1956. *58 Therefore, it entered into negotiations with Cornell-Dubilier Electric Corporation (hereafter called Cornell), a Delaware corporation.

Cornell originally wanted to buy 100 percent of Deutschmann Corporation, but petitioner wanted to keep a minority interest, believing such interest would increase in value. A memorandum agreement was executed on September 14, 1956, whereby there was a capital reorganization of Deutschmann Corporation which left Cornell as the controlling stockholder. Under such agreement Cornell was to receive about 70 percent of the common stock of Deutschmann Corporation, purchase its fixed assets and lease them back, and loan Deutschmann Corporation specified sums of money. This agreement provided, in part, as follows:

(v) Cornell and Tobe [petitioner] shall have entered into an Employment Contract referred to in subparagraph d. of Paragraph 5 above, provided, however, that if Cornell waives compliance with this condition (which it does not propose to do unless unforeseen circumstances arise which force it to do so), Tobe hereby expressly agrees that from and after the Closing, he will not, unless acting as an officer or director of the Company [Deutschmann*59 Corporation] or with Cornell's prior written consent, directly or indirectly own, manage, operate, join, control or participate in the ownership, management, operation or control of, or be connected as an officer, employee, partner, or otherwise with, any business under any name similar to the Company's name and that for a period of 2 years after the Closing will not in any manner, directly or indirectly, compete with or become interested in any competitor of the Company throughout the United States.

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

Related

Gregory v. Helvering
293 U.S. 465 (Supreme Court, 1935)
Commissioner v. Court Holding Co.
324 U.S. 331 (Supreme Court, 1945)
John W. Rogers and Creta B. Rogers v. United States
290 F.2d 501 (Ninth Circuit, 1961)
Zivnuska v. Commissioner
33 T.C. 226 (U.S. Tax Court, 1959)
O'Donohue v. Commissioner
33 T.C. 698 (U.S. Tax Court, 1960)
Barran v. Commissioner
39 T.C. 515 (U.S. Tax Court, 1962)
Montesi v. Commissioner
40 T.C. 511 (U.S. Tax Court, 1963)
Danielson v. Commissioner
44 T.C. 549 (U.S. Tax Court, 1965)
Levinson v. Commissioner
45 T.C. 380 (U.S. Tax Court, 1966)
Eitingon-Schild Co. v. Commissioner
21 B.T.A. 1163 (Board of Tax Appeals, 1931)
Ullman v. Commissioner
264 F.2d 305 (Second Circuit, 1959)
Schulz v. Commissioner
294 F.2d 52 (Ninth Circuit, 1961)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1966 T.C. Memo. 229, 25 T.C.M. 1188, 1966 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 55, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/deutschmann-v-commissioner-tax-1966.