Field v. Commissioner

40 T.C. 802, 1963 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 77
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedAugust 2, 1963
DocketDocket No. 93624
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 40 T.C. 802 (Field 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
Field v. Commissioner, 40 T.C. 802, 1963 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 77 (tax 1963).

Opinion

DeeNNBN, Judge:

Respondent determined a deficiency in estate tax against petitioner (estate of Francis F. Field) in the amount of $30,-075.92. The only issue remaining for decision is whether the value of the property passing under Item II of Francis F. Field’s will qualifies for the marital deduction under section 2056 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.

FINDINGS OF FACT

Francis F. Field (hereafter referred to as decedent) died testate on December 11, 1957, while a resident of Marion, Ohio. Decedent’s Federal estate tax return was filed with the district director of internal revenue, Columbus, Ohio, on December 3,1958.

The portions of decedent’s will executed August 13, 1957, and the codicil thereto executed November 27,1957, material to this proceeding provide as follows:

ITEM II. I give, devise and bequeath all the rest, residue and remainder of my property to Maxine Lois Field, as Trustee, who shall serve without bond, to hold the same in trust in accordance with the terms and conditions hereinafter provided, and to make available the net income therefrom to my wife, Lois MeKelvy Field, during her lifetime, reserving however, unto my wife, the power to consume my entire estate for any purposes which she shall deem advisable.
In the event my wife does not exercise the within power one year after her death, the increment resulting from said trust and the corpus thereof, shall be distributed to my children, Maxine Lois Field, Gordon McK. Field and Francis Carl Field, as hereinafter set out.
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For the purposes of accomplishing the ends of the trust, my executrix, hereinafter named, or her successor, shall convey and transfer to the trustee the property hereinafter mentioned, and my trustee shaE administer said property as foUows:
1. I direct that my trustee shaE take possession of and title to my real estate and all chattels, livestock, growing crops and personalty located thereon, which I may own at the time of my death, and said trustee is to continue the operation thereof for the benefit of my widow as above set out. My trustee shall have an unlimited discretion in operating said farms, subject however, to the powers vested in my wife, but I recommend that the herd of breeding stock on said farms at the time of my demise shall be maintained as much as practicable until the termination of the trust.
In the event my trustee deems it advisable to discontinue the operation of the farms, then the proceeds from the rental of said farms and the proceeds from the sale of all personalty located thereon, shall be invested as is directed in Paragraph 2 immediately following:
2. I direct that my trustee shall also take possession of and title to all other property and invest the same in securities of the United States Government which pay interest semi-annually or annually, rather than those securities of the United States Government which accrue interest.
3. I direct that my trustee open a checking account at the Marion County Bank, Marion, Ohio to be designated “Dr. Francis F. Field Trust Account”, wherein all income and expenses from the operation of the farms and all other income and expenses attendant to the trust, be deposited and withdrawn. My trustee, Maxine Lois Field, and my wife, Lois MeKelvy Field, shall severally have the authority to withdraw funds by cheek as is consistent with this trust instrument. It being specifically understood, however, that my wife, in the event she deems it advisable, may withdraw all the funds deposited in said account.
* * * a * * *
6. As heretofore directed, the trust herein mentioned is not to be terminated until one year after the demise of my wife, Lois McKelvy Field, and at that time, if my wife has not consumed my entire estate, I direct that the title to the real estate located in Deer Creek Township, County of Madison and State of Ohio, shall vest absolutely and in fee simple in my daughter, Maxine Lois Field, and she shall have the right, if she so elects, to purchase all chattels, livestock, growing crops and personal property located thereon, at a sum which is equal to the appraised value thereof, at the time of the death of my wife.
7. From the increment of the trust or the corpus remaining in the hands of my trustee one year after the death of my wife, if there be any, I direct that my trustee shall pay unto my son, Gordon McK. Field, the sum of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), to be his absolutely and in fee simple. If the said Gordon McK. Field shall not survive, or does not have issue of his body surviving, one year from the date of death of my wife, then this bequest shall be null and void.
The remainder of the trust estate resulting from the increment of this trust, if there be any after the aforementioned bequest to Gordon McK. Field or issue of his body, shall be divided equally per stirpes among my three children Gordon McK. Field, or issue of his body, Francis Carl Field and Maxine Lois Field.
The remainder of the corpus of the trust remaining in the hands of my trustee, I give, bequeath and devise to my sons, Gordon McK. Field and Francis Carl Field. In the event, however, my son, Gordon McK. Field shall not survive, or shall not leave issue of his body, then the share which is bequeathed to the said Gordon McK. Field is hereby bequeathed in equal proportions to Francis Carl Field and Maxine Lois Field.
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CODICIL OF LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF FRANCIS F. FIELD
WHEREAS, on the 13th day of August, 1957, I, Francis F. Field, did duly execute, publish and declare my Last Will and Testament, whereof Paragraph numbered 6 of Item II. reads as follows :
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And, Whereas, I now desire to amend said Paragraph numbered 6 of ITEM II.;
Therefore, I do now and hereby amend said Paragraph numbered 6 of ITEM II. of my said Will, but confirm and re-publish each and every part of said Will except said Paragraph numbered 6 of ITEM II.; and do hereby make, publish and declare the following as and for Paragraph number 6 of ITEM II. of my Last Will and Testament, to-wit:
6. I direct that my daughter, Maxine Lois Field, shall have the right, if she so elects to purchase all chattels, livestock, and personal property located on a farm in Deer Creek Township, County of Madison and State of Ohio, formerly owned by me but presently in the name of the said Maxine Lois Field. The election above referred to shall accrue at the death of my beloved wife, Lois McKelvy Field, and the purchase price the said Maxine Lois Field shall pay in the event she elects to purchase shall be the appraisal of the property above referred to at the death of my wife.

Decedent’s will and codicil were admitted to probate in the Probate Court of Marion County, Ohio, on December 31, 1957.

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Field v. Commissioner
40 T.C. 802 (U.S. Tax Court, 1963)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
40 T.C. 802, 1963 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 77, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/field-v-commissioner-tax-1963.