Estate of Harrison v. Commissioner

62 T.C. No. 59, 62 T.C. 524, 1974 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 73
United States Tax Court·Decided July 25, 1974·No. Docket Nos. 5641-71, 5642-71·Published·Cited by 9 cases

Opinion

Stebrett, Judge:

The respondent determined deficiencies in petitioners’ Federal income taxes and additions thereto under section 6653 (a), I.R.C. 1954,1 as follows:

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Certain issues haying either been conceded or not raised in the petition, the remaining issues presented for determination -are: (1) Whether $50,000 placed in trust in 1965 and payable in five annual installments to James Max Harrison or his heirs pursuant to a consulting agreement, including a provision not to compete, is taxable income in that year; (2) whether expenses incurred in moving from New Jersey to Alabama are deductible moving expenses within the intendment of section 217 where' James Max Harrison only continued his duties as administrator of certain pension funds; (3) whether the income of a trust, which was required to be distributed at least annually to Mary Frances Harrison but part of which was actually distributed to her children, is taxable to said petitioner; and (4) whether petitioners are subject to the additions to tax for the taxable years in question under section 6653 (a).

FINDINGS OF FACT

Some of tlie facts have been stipulated and are so found. The stipulation of facts, together with the exhibits attached thereto, are incorporated herein by this reference.

James Max Harrison (hereinafter referred to as the decedent or, in conjunction with Mary Frances Harrison, as petitioners) was a resident of Mobile, Ala., at the time of his death on April 4,1966. The decedent was survived by his wife Mary Frances Harrison (hereinafter referred to as Mrs. Harrison or petitioner), who was appointed executrix of his estate on June 1,1966. Mrs. Harrison’s legal residence at the time of the filing of the petitions herein was Mobile, Ala.

A joint Federal income tax return for the calendar year 1965 was filed by Mrs. Harrison, individually and as executrix of decedent’s estate, with the district director of internal revenue at Birmingham, Ala. A joint Federal income tax return for the calendar year 1968 and a return as a surviving spouse for the calendar year 1967 were filed by Mrs. Harrison with the Southeast Service Center at Cham-blee, Ga. The above-mentioned returns filed by Mrs. Harrison were made on the cash receipts and disbursements basis.

From a time in the early 1960’s until November 1, 1965, decedent was employed as president of American Maritime Association (hereinafter referred to as AMA) in New York, N.Y. During such employment, decedent and his family resided in Short Hills, N. J.

AMA was formed in the early 1960’s by various steamship companies and trade unions operating aboard company vessels for the purposes of creating and maintaining harmonious union-management relations among association members and of lobbying for favorable Federal legislation. The officers of AMA were union or management representatives, decedent being management’s representative. AMA also had an advisory board of directors composed of both management and union representatives.

In 1965, one of the member unions decided that it no longer wished to do business with decedent, that as long as decedent was president of AMA it was not interested in any relationship with that organization, and that it would henceforth bargain individually with each company. However, one of the other member unions wanted to retain the services of decedent.

After negotiations between decedent and AMA’s board of directors, an agreement was reached which satisfied all interests. Decedent agreed to resign as president, which he subsequently did effective October 31, 1965, and AMA agreed to retain decedent’s services on a consultant basis for a period of 5 years. The pertinent parts of the agreement read as follows:

1. Association [AMA] hereby retains Harrison [decedent] as a consultant for a period of five (5) years, commencing November 1,1965, and ending October 31, 1970, for which services the Association agreed to pay Harrison the sum of Ten Thousand and No/100 Dollars ($10,000.00) per year. Such sum to be paid from the Trust Fund to be established with the First National Bank of Mobile, as Trustee, under the terms and conditions and on the form set forth on Exhibit “A” attached hereto and made a part hereof, the payment of which Association hereby binds itself.[2]
2. Harrison agrees to keep himself available to the Association to provide such services for said term and agrees that- he will not perform similar services in competition with the Association, it being expressly understood, however, that Harrison may perform the same or similar services to others not engaged in competition with the Association.

The agreement further provided that in the event of decedent’s death prior to the expiration of the 5-year period, the remaining undistributed corpus and accumulated income would be paid to decedent’s heirs as a death benefit.

As agreed upon, AMA deposited $50,000 in trust with the First National Bank of Mobile. The pertinent terms of the trust indenture are as follows:

Whereas, Grantor has entered into an employment and deferred compensation agreement with Max Harrison, under the terms of which Grantor is obligated to create a trust under the terms and conditions hereinafter provided, Now Therefore, in consideration of the premises Grantor does hereby deliver and pay over to Trustee the sum of $50,000.00, in cash, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, in trust for the uses and purposes upon the terms and conditions hereinafter stated.
ITEM I
The Trust hereby created is irrevocable and the Grantor reserves no right, title or interest therein, or control thereof.
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ITEM IV
Trustee shall pay to Max Harrison annually on the anniversary hereof the sum of $10,000.00, commencing on the 1st day of November, 1966, and a like installment on the same day of each succeeding year thereafter to and including November 1, 1970, on which date this trust shall terminate and the entire undistributed corpus and accumulated income shall be paid over to the said Max Harrison, his executor, administrator or assigns.
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ITEM VIII
This Trust Agreement shall be construed and regulated according to the laws of the State of Alabama, where it is made and where it is to be enforced.

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Estate of Harrison v. Commissioner, 62 T.C. No. 59, 62 T.C. 524, 1974 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 73 (tax 1974).

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Estate of Harrison v. Commissioner
62 T.C. No. 59 (U.S. Tax Court, 1974)