Estate of Lenheim v. Commissioner

1990 T.C. Memo. 403, 60 T.C.M. 356, 1990 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 420
United States Tax Court·Decided August 1, 1990·No. Docket No. 38464-87·Unpublished

Opinion

ESTATE OF RALPH E. LENHEIM, DECEASED, WILLIAM R. LENHEIM AND BERNARD J. LENHEIM, EXECUTORS, Petitioner v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Estate of Lenheim v. Commissioner
Docket No. 38464-87
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1990-403; 1990 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 420; 60 T.C.M. (CCH) 356; T.C.M. (RIA) 90403;
August 1, 1990, Filed

Decision will be entered under Rule 155.

Kenneth E. Mitchell, for the petitioner.
Margaret S. Rigg and Bryce A. Kranzthor, for the respondent.
GERBER, Judge.

GERBER

MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION

Respondent determined a deficiency in petitioner's Federal estate tax in the amount of $ 230,803. In his amended answer, respondent asserts an increased estate tax deficiency of $ 384,868.

The issues for decision are:

1. Whether, in determining the estate tax imposed under section 2001, 1*421 section 2504(c) precludes respondent from valuing certain lifetime gifts made by the decedent at valuations higher than those reported on his gift tax returns;

2. The fair market values, at the date of several gifts, of shares in a family-owned corporation which had been gifted during decedent's lifetime;

3. The fair market value, at death, of the remaining shares decedent owned in the same family-owned corporation; and

4. Whether the family-owned corporation's sale of its subsidiary to decedent's son was a bargain sale resulting in a lifetime gift by decedent.

FINDINGS OF FACT

The parties' stipulation of facts and exhibits are incorporated by this reference. The decedent, Ralph E. Lenheim, a resident of Alameda County, California, died on April 17, 1984. He was survived by his three sons, William, Bernard, and Steven Lenheim. At the time of the filing of the petition, William and Bernard Lenheim, the estate's executors, each resided in California.

At his death, decedent owned 3,372 shares or approximately a 20.8-percent stock interest in Nor Cal Metals, Inc., his family's company. The corporation at that point owned several pieces of commercial real estate and note receivables and was essentially a passive investment company. Previously, the corporation had sold off its stock ownership interests in two other operating companies. Decedent had started the company and over the years had gifted corporation shares to his sons. This case involves a number of decedent's gifts of shares in the family corporation during 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1984.

Nor Cal Metals, Inc.

Nor Cal Metals, Inc. (Metals), is a California corporation. *422 After incorporation in 1955, Metals conducted a job shop metal fabrication business which decedent had earlier owned and operated as a sole proprietorship. The company's place of business was in Oakland, California, and it served customers throughout the San Francisco Bay area. In 1960, Metals transferred its metal fabrication business to another company in which it held a 50-percent interest, Nor Cal Metals Fabricators, Inc. (Fabricators), which company is more fully described, infra. In addition to its 50-percent interest in Fabricators, Metals has owned various pieces of commercial real estate which it generally leased to tenants on a net lease basis. On April 1, 1982, Metals, concurrent with the sale of its 50-percent interest in Fabricators, purchased an industrial supplies business. The acquired business was transferred to Metals' newly formed, wholly owned subsidiary, Roll Rite, Inc. (New Roll Rite), all of which is more fully described, infra.

Since its incorporation, all of Metals' issued and outstanding shares have consisted of a single class of voting common stock. Originally, decedent had owned most of the shares. Over the years he frequently gifted equal amounts *423of Metals' stock to his three sons. Immediately prior to November 24, 1981, decedent owned 12,702 shares or approximately 65.9 percent of Metals' 19,272 outstanding shares. The remaining shares in the company were owned in equal proportions by his three sons, William, Bernard, and Steven Lenheim. On November 24, 1981, decedent gifted 560 of Metals' shares to each son. On January 4, 1982, he gifted 330 of his shares to each son.

Steven Lenheim strongly disagreed with his father's decision during January 1982 to have Metals acquire the industrial supplies business. Steven further felt excluded from the company's management. As a result, Steven demanded that his Metals' shares be redeemed in exchange for $ 368,500. After negotiation, Metals redeemed Steven's 3,080 shares on May 28, 1982. Steven, in exchange, received $ 125,000 cash and a 12-percent interest per annum promissory note in the amount of $ 243,500. Minimum monthly payments of $ 5,416.12 were to be made on this note, beginning July 1, 1982. Following the redemption, Steven received no further gifts of company shares from decedent. Decedent, in his last will dated November 26, 1982, bequeathed his remaining Metals *424shares to his other two sons, William and Bernard. During January 1983, decedent gifted 330 shares each to William and Bernard. On January 10, 1984, he gifted 3,000 additional shares each to William and Bernard. At death, on April 17, 1984, decedent owned 3,372 shares or approximately 20.8 percent of Metals' 16,192 outstanding shares.

As a result of the gifts discussed above, the decedent's and his three sons' stock ownership in Metals on the dates indicated, were as follows:

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Estate of Lenheim v. Commissioner, 1990 T.C. Memo. 403, 60 T.C.M. 356, 1990 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 420 (tax 1990).

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