Estate of Kasch v. Commissioner

30 T.C. 102, 1958 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 210
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedApril 23, 1958
DocketDocket Nos. 59815, 59816, 59817, 59818
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 30 T.C. 102 (Estate of Kasch 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 Kasch v. Commissioner, 30 T.C. 102, 1958 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 210 (tax 1958).

Opinion

Akundell, Judge:

Respondent determined a deficiency in estate tax of $30,972.55, and a like amount, plus interest as provided by law, as a transferee liability against each of the three transferees.

Several errors were assigned but evidence has been offered only as to the following error:

Tbe Commissioner bas erred in including in tbe taxable estate tbe sum of $152,894.10, or any part thereof, representing tbe fair market value as of tbe date of decedent’s death of a trust created by decedent on December 30, 1938.

The proceedings were consolidated for trial and opinion.

The three transferee-petitioners concede transferee liability for any deficiency in estate tax finally determined against the Estate of Frederick M. Kasch, deceased, plus interest as provided by law.

FINDINGS OF FACT.

Most of the facts were stipulated and they are so found.

Frederick M. Kasch died testate, a resident of Chicago, Illinois, on December 6, 1952. He left surviving him his widow, Helen L. Kasch, four children, Margaret K. Cassin, Helen-Marie K. Tobinson, Frederick W. Kasch, and Emily D. Kasch, and eight grandchildren.

Helen L. Kasch, decedent’s widow, is the “executor” (so named in decedent’s will) of the decedent’s estate. An estate tax return showing an estate tax liability of $2,026.63 was filed by the executor with the district director of internal revenue in Chicago, Illinois. The amount of $2,026.63 was paid by the executor prior to the mailing of the deficiency notice and the three notices of transferee liability.

Helen L. Kasch received or had on December 6, 1952, property which was included in the gross estate of the decedent for estate tax purposes. The property had a value at that time in excess of the proposed deficiency in estate taxes, plus interest as provided by law.

Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Company of Chicago, on or about November 12, 1952, became trustee of a trust the corpus of which was includible in the gross estate of the decedent for estate tax purposes and which property had a value at the date of decedent’s death in excess of the proposed deficiency in estate taxes, plus interest as provided by law.

The First National Bank of Chicago, on or about December 30, 1938, became a cotrustee of a trust the corpus of which is alleged by respondent to be includible in the gross estate of the decedent for estate tax purposes and which property had a value at the date of decedent’s death in excess of the proposed deficiency in estate taxes, plus interest as provided by law.

By reason of the distributions referred to in the three previous paragraphs, the estate of Frederick M. Kasch is without funds or assets with which to pay the proposed deficiency in estate taxes, plus interest as provided by law, and is unable to pay the same.

The above-mentioned trust created on December 30, 1938, by the decedent was for the benefit of his wife and his descendants, per stirpes. It was declared to be irrevocable. It was to terminate on the last to occur of (1) the death of his wife, Helen L. Kasch, or (2) 1 years from the date of the trust. For the first 21 years, unless sooner terminated, 20 per cent of the net income of the trust was to be paid on each December 20 to the then living lawful descendants of the donor, per stirpes, and 80 per cent was to be accumulated and added to the principal of the trust fund. Thereafter all of the net income was to be paid to such lawful descendants then living, per stirpes. Upon termination of the trust, the entire trust fund then remaining, together with all accumulations, shall be distributed to the then living lawful descendants of the donor, per stirpes.

The trustees of the December 30, 1938,- trust were the donor, Frederick M. Kasch, and the First National Bank of Chicago. The latter was to act alone for the trustees on matters requiring ministerial acts only and the donor was to act on all matters that required the exercise of discretion and judgment. The donor continued to act as the individual trustee until his death.

Article II (b) of the December 30, 1938, trust provided in part:

(b) Whenever and as often as the Donor’s wife, HELEN L. KASCH, shall certify in writing to the Trustees that her income from all other sources for the calendar year in which the request is made as reasonably anticipated shall appear to be less than a sum equal to the applicable percentage of the value of the Trust Fund as last appraised as hereinafter set forth, the Trustees shall, when so requested by HELEN L. KASCH and to the extent requested by her distribute to her in such calendar year from the principal of the Trust Fund an amount equal to the difference by which her total anticipated income for such calendar year is less than the specified percentage of the value of the trust as last appraised in accordance with the following schedule:
10% of the Trust Fund, when the first request is made;
*******
20% of the Trust Fund, when the tenth and all subsequent requests are made;
provided, however, that if, in the sole opinion of the Trustees, said estimate of income shall be unreasonably low, they may, in their sole discretion, increase it, but they shall not be liable to her or to any other beneficiary of this Trust Estate for failure to accept her estimate or for failure to increase it. * * * the Trustees’ decision as to the amount and manner of payment shall be final and conclusive.

Article III (c) of the December 30,1938, trust provided as follows:

(c) If at any time or from time to time, in the judgment of the Trustees, the aggregate of the income and principal payable hereunder, if any, and income accruing from all other sources including distributions, if any, under paragraph

(b) of Article II hereof—

(1) to the Donor’s said wife or to any beneficiary, shall be insufficient to provide for the proper care, support and medical attention of such wife or beneficiary during the period of any illness or other incapacity;
(2) to any child of the Donor, shall be insufficient to enable him or her to provide for the proper care, support and medical attention of any grandchild of the Donor, then dependent upon him or her, during the period of such grandchild’s illness or other incapacity ;

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Estate of Kasch v. Commissioner
30 T.C. 102 (U.S. Tax Court, 1958)

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Bluebook (online)
30 T.C. 102, 1958 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 210, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/estate-of-kasch-v-commissioner-tax-1958.