Epstein v. United States

221 F. Supp. 479, 12 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 5598, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9446
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Ohio
DecidedSeptember 20, 1963
DocketCiv. Nos. 35710-35717
StatusPublished

This text of 221 F. Supp. 479 (Epstein v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Epstein v. United States, 221 F. Supp. 479, 12 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 5598, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9446 (N.D. Ohio 1963).

Opinion

GREEN, District Judge.

These eight actions were brought for recovery of income taxes for the year 1951, and have been consolidated for trial. The plaintiffs were all partners in the Epstein Construction Company.1 The total amount sought to be recovered by plaintiffs is $24,777.32, plus statutory interest.

The issue before the Court is whether two corporations in which plaintiffs had an interest were “collapsible corporations” as that term is defined in § 117 (m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1939.

One corporation was known as Euclid Gardens, Inc., and was owned and controlled by plaintiffs. As to that corporation the issue is the application of § 117 (m) to the gains realized by plaintiffs on the sale of their stock in said corporation.

The second corporation was known as Park-Lawn Gardens, Inc., in which plaintiffs owned 50% of the stock. With respect to this corporation the issue involved is the application of § 117 (m) to the gains realized by the plaintiffs in the distribution of cash by said corporation to the plaintiffs as shareholders.

Plaintiffs reported their gains on the two transactions in question as capital gains for tax purposes and paid their taxes for 1951 accordingly. Thereafter deficiencies were assessed against them on the basis that the gains were taxable as ordinary income, and plaintiffs paid the deficiencies as assessed. It is plaintiffs’ claim that the deficiencies were erroneously assessed and collected, and that they are entitled to a refund thereof.

By reason of the fact that the refund claimed by plaintiffs herein involves two different corporations, that is, Euclid Gardens, Inc., and Park-Lawn Gardens, Inc., the Court has determined to set forth the relevant facts as to each corporation separately.

EUCLID GARDENS, INC.

Plaintiffs herein were all partners in the Epstein Construction Company, which partnership was organized on January 1, 1949, and was successor in interest to a partnership formerly known as Epstein & Son. This company had been in the residential building construction business since the year 1920. The Epstein Construction Company consisted of eight members of the Epstein family, with Hyman Epstein, now deceased, being the senior partner.

[481]*481In the early part of 1949 the partners in Epstein Construction Company decided to construct a multiple dwelling project in the City of Euclid, Ohio, containing 303 apartments.

Euclid Gardens, Inc., was organized on March 28, 1949, and incorporated under the laws of the State of Ohio. The stated purpose of the corporation was as follows :

“To acquire, develop, construct, erect, hold and rent real estate for the purpose of producing rental income and the doing of all things necessary or incident thereto.”

The original stock authorized was 250 shares no par, and five of the partners of Epstein Construction each purchased one share of stock in the corporation, for a total consideration of $1,000.00.

On April 29, 1949 Euclid Gardens’ Articles of Incorporation were amended so as to authorize issuance of the following classifications of stock:

100 shares of preferred stock with a par value of $1.00 per share, to be sold for $1.00;

250 shares Class A Common with a par value of $5.00 per share to be sold for $1,000.00 cash and that of the amount received for each share $5.00 be allotted to stated capital and $995.00 be allotted to paid-in surplus;

50 shares Class B Common without par value to be sold at $25.00 per share and that of the amount received for each share $12.50 be allotted to stated capital and $12.50 be allotted to paid-in surplus.

The purpose clause of the corporation was also amended, the pertinent parts reading as follows:

“The purpose or purposes for which it is formed and the business and objects to be carried on and promoted by it are as follows:
“ (a) To create a private corporation to provide housing for rent or sale, and to acquire any real estate or interest or rights therein or appurtenant thereto and any and all personal property in connection therewith.
“(b) To improve and operate and to mortgage or lease any real estate and any personal property.
“(c) To borrow money and issue evidence of indebtedness in furtherance of any or all of the objects of its business; to secure the same by mortgage, deed of trust, pledge or other lien. * * * ”

Euclid Gardens, Inc., obtained a Federal Housing Administration mortgage insurance commitment in the amount of $2,366,700, and obtained a loan in that amount from the National City Bank of Cleveland, which loan was evidenced by a note and secured by a mortgage on the property of the corporation. All of the authorized preferred stock was issued to the Federal Housing Administration, as required by Section 608 of the National Housing Act.

226 shares of Class A common stock were subscribed for by five of the partners of Epstein Construction for a consideration of $226,000. 209% shares of this subscription were taken in the name of Hyman Epstein. This subscription was recorded on the corporation’s books as of May 31,1949. On that same date the five partners subscribed for 40 shares of Class B common for $1,000.00.

All of the shares of Class A and Class B stock were cancelled as of December 30, 1949, and were reissued to all eight partners in the partnership equally. The members of the Epstein family were the officers and directors of Euclid Gardens, Inc., Hyman Epstein being President, and Paul Ellis Secretary.

Euclid Gardens, Inc., entered into a contract with the Epstein Construction Company on May 2, 1949, whereby the construction company was to build for Euclid Gardens, Inc., a 303-suite apartment project on its property located in Euclid, Ohio, with the minimum construction cost to be $2,225,000 and the maximum cost to be $2,320,322. Con[482]*482struction was to commence within SO days from date of the agreement and was to be completed by September 30, 1950. On May 19, 1949 building permits to construct the apartment were obtained from the City of Euclid. Thereafter, in the latter part of May of 1949, construction of the project was commenced. Some of the suites in the Euclid Gardens apartments first became available for occupancy in the early part of November, 1949. From time to time the F.H.A. certified that various suites in the project were ready for occupancy. The last letter of authorization for occupancy in the project was obtained from the Federal Housing Administration on April 20, 1950.

A few days prior to March 6, 1950 Hyman Epstein, President of Euclid Gardens, Inc., had a conversation with a Mr. Harry Ratner with reference to the sale of the project to the said Harry Ratner. Thereafter, on May 5, 1950, a written contract was entered into with Harold Hirschfield (a partner of and agent for Harry Ratner) for the sale of the Class B common stock of said Euclid Gardens, Inc. This contract was the culmination of the conversation and agreement between Harry Ratner and Hyman Epstein first had with reference to the sale of the project a few days prior to March 6, 1950. The contract of sale provided that the unpaid balance of the purchase price was to be paid on January 10, 1951, and provided that all prorations and adjustments were to be made as of October 31, 1950.

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221 F. Supp. 479, 12 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 5598, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9446, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/epstein-v-united-states-ohnd-1963.