Estate of Ford v. Commissioner

53 T.C. 114, 1969 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 33
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedOctober 30, 1969
DocketDocket No. 3925-67
StatusPublished
Cited by44 cases

This text of 53 T.C. 114 (Estate of Ford 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
Estate of Ford v. Commissioner, 53 T.C. 114, 1969 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 33 (tax 1969).

Opinions

SteReett, Judge:

The Commissioner determined a deficiency of $1,510,444.90 in tbe estate tax liability of tbe Estate of Edward E. Ford, deceased. After allowance of a credit for State death taxes “if substantiated” of $556,309.22, tbe Commissioner asserts a net deficiency of $954,135.68.1

Due to certain concessions, the issues remaining for our decision are as follows:

(1) Whether decedent’s transfer of certain State and municipal bonds to his daughter within 3 years of his death was “in contemplation of his death” within the meaning of section 2035 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.2

(2) Whether decedent retained either the “right * * * to designate the persons who shall possess or enjoy the property or the income” of a trust he created for the benefit of his grandson under the provisions of section 2036(a)(2), or the power “to alter, amend, revoke or terminate” such trust pursuant to the terms of section 2038(a) (1).

FINDINGS OF FACT

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

Manufacturers Hanover Trust Co. (hereinafter referred to as petitioner) is the duly appointed executor of the Estate of Edward E. Ford, deceased. At the time of filing its petition herein, petitioner had its principal place of business in New York, N.Y. Edward E. Ford (hereinafter referred to as the decedent) died on March 6, 1963. The Federal estate tax return for the Estate of Edward E. Ford was filed with the district director of internal revenue at New York, N.Y.

Decedent’s father, A. Ward Ford, was a founder of the predecessor of International Business Machines Corp. (hereinafter referred to as IBM). From 1917 to 1936, decedent worked for IBM and its predecessor. He was associated with various other businesses between the years 1936 and 1949. In 1949, decedent was elected a director of IBM and thereafter became a member of IBM’s Executive and Finance Committee and its Executive Compensation Committee, which positions he held until his death.

In 1918, decedent married Jane Bloomer (hereinafter sometimes referred to as Jane). Decedent’s only child, Julia, was bom during this marriage. Julia was married in 1947, and had one son, Edward Ford Donaldson (hereinafter referred to as Edward) by her first husband. She was divorced in 1949, and in 1953 married Lyman W. Menard (hereinafter sometimes referred to as Lyman). Julia had three sons (David, Andrew, and William) by her second husband.

Issue 1. Transfer in Contemplation of Death

Decedent’s wife, Jane, died on November 9,1960. Her will provided for the creation of a “Marital Trust” out of one-half of her adjusted gross estate. On March 22, 1961, decedent exercised his unrestricted right to invade the principal of this trust by withdrawing State and municipal bonds having an appropriate value of $818,000. He immediately transferred these bonds outright, without consideration, to his daughter, Julia. This gift of March 22, 1961, is the subject of the instant controversy. On May 30, 1961, Julia, 'at the suggestion of her father, transferred the bonds and the IBM stock she owned to the Hanover B ank tobe held in trust.

On March 22, 1961, decedent owned 40,472 shares of IBM stock having a market value of approximately $28,500,000. In addition, decedent was the income beneficiary of two trusts with combined corpora worth almost $15 million. The gift in issue (valued at approximately $818,000) constituted less than 3 percent of decedent’s holdings of IBM stock alone.

Under the provisions of a trust created by her grandfather, A. Ward Ford, Julia would receive at the death of her father one-quarter of the principal of such trust, having a value on the date of the gift of approximately $14,350,000. In addition, upon the death of a childless aunt, Julia would receive an additional one-twelfth of the principal (having an approximate value of $4,800,000) of the A. Ward Ford Trust.

Decedent’s will of May 13, 1958, which was in effect on the date of the disputed transfer, made no provision for his daughter with the exception of a bequest of his home and personal property. On July 18, 1961, decedent executed a new will bequeathing his home and personal effects to his prospective second wife, Jane McCurdy. The Edward E. Ford Foundation was the primary beneficiary under all wills and codicils executed by decedent during the years involved herein. Decedent stated to his second wife, lawyer, financial consultant, and accountant that he made no significant provision in his will for his daughter because she would receive more money than she would want or need from the A. Ward Ford Trust.

Prior to the transfer at issue of March 22, 1961, decedent and 'his wife transferred gifts of IBM stock to various trusts created for the benefit of their daughter and four grandsons as follows:

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Additionally, decedent gave Julia and her husband outright at various times before the transfer, 13 shares each of IBM stock totaling $11,726 in value, an automobile, a heating and air-conditioning system for their home, and a 24-foot cabin cruiser. However, the Menards sold the cabin cruiser and purchased a smaller craft. They attempted to return to the decedent the difference between the sales proceeds of the cruiser and the new boat. The decedent refused to accept the amount proffered.

In March 1961, in part as a result of distributions of principal from the two trusts of May 16,1946, Julia owned IBM stock and municipal bonds having approximate market values of $1,300,000 and $175,000, respectively. In addition, at that time her interest in the trust created September 29, 1953, was worth approximately $307,000. The income produced from Julia’s holdings was relatively small (e.g., during 1960 dividend income on the IBM stock was $5,925 and the interest income on municipal and other nontaxable bonds equaled $7,158.76). Prior to the gift in controversy, Lyman and Julia’s combined gross income from all sources was never higher than the 1960 figure of $23,458.

The Menards lived on a rather modest scale. They lived in a $20,000 home, sent their children to public schools, seldom traveled, and managed to save about $200 a month. Decedent and Jane indicated to Julia and others their strong desire that she and Lyman buy a larger house, employ servants, send the children to private school, travel, and generally live on a higher scale. Julia resisted her parents’ suggestions insisting that it was better for the children that they live within the income of herself and her husband. She declined her parents’ offer of large gifts, except those made on special occasions.3

Decedent felt a moral obligation to transfer the State and municipal bonds in question to Julia because it had been his wife’s wish that Julia own this property some day. He also desired that Julia acquire some experience in managing money to prepare her for the vast wealth she would someday receive from the A. Ward Ford Trust.

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Bluebook (online)
53 T.C. 114, 1969 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 33, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/estate-of-ford-v-commissioner-tax-1969.