Flournoy v. Howe

31 Cal. App. 3d 949, 107 Cal. Rptr. 766, 1973 Cal. App. LEXIS 1124
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedApril 27, 1973
DocketCiv. 40798
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 31 Cal. App. 3d 949 (Flournoy v. Howe) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Flournoy v. Howe, 31 Cal. App. 3d 949, 107 Cal. Rptr. 766, 1973 Cal. App. LEXIS 1124 (Cal. Ct. App. 1973).

Opinions

[951]*951Opinion

ROTH, P. J.

The State Controller and inheritance tax referee appeal from an order fixing the inheritance tax for the above named estate.

On December 11, 1965, Katherine L. Howe (Katherine), aged 63, executed an “Annuity Agreement” with her two sons, John Marshall Howe and Norman Ross Howe, pursuant to which she transferred in late April and early May of 1966, three parcels of encumbered real property to John and Norman in consideration of their joint and several promises to pay to her, commencing May 1, 1966, the monthly sum of $735.59 “during the full term of her natural life.” Katherine died on May 25, 1969.

The stipulated facts disclose (1) the net value of the properties on the transfer date was $ 120,000;1 (2) the net value of the properties on May 25, 1969, the date of Katherine’s death, was $135,978; (3) John and Norman had the means to make the payments described in the annuity agreement without recourse to income generated by the transferred property; (4) the net rental of the three transferred properties, before income taxes and without allowance for depreciation, for the years 1966 through 1969, was as follows: 1966—$9,274; 1967—$10,928; 1968—$12,684; 1969—$14,785; and (5) John and Norman had fixed the amount of the annuity on the basis of a letter from Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York which stated in pertinent part:

“You wanted to know the monthly income for a single premium life annuity of $120,000 for a woman age 63 in August of 1965, residing in California.
“The monthly life income would be $735.59. This amount is based on a figuring date of May 1, 1966 with the first check to arrive one month later. All the factors such as discount for size, state tax, completed months since last birthday, etc., have been taken into account.
“My rough estimate of $720 to $750 per month was made to you previously without all these factors being considered.”

The inheritance tax appraiser included the three parcels as part of decedent’s estate subject to inheritance tax in the report he filed after her death, and found a total tax due in the amount of $10,310. John and Norman object to the report of inheritance tax referee on the ground that [952]*952the property was not subject to tax. The trial court sustained the objection and made the order from which this appeal is taken.

The decisive issue raised on appeal is stated by appellants as follows: “The issue ... is whether the transfers . . . [were] for less than a full and adequate consideration in money or money’s worth within the meaning of the Inheritance Tax Law.”

The stipulated facts show an inter-family transaction. We therefore subject it to careful scrutiny. (Estate of Craycroft, 191 Cal.App.2d 436, 445 [12 Cal.Rptr. 552].) However, it should be noted that no question was raised nor was it contended in the trial court that the transfer at bench was made in contemplation of death. Such cases as Estate of Giolitti, 26 Cal.App.3d 327 [103 Cal.Rptr. 38], cited by appellants, are not applicable. It should be noted further that the stipulated facts admit that Katherine divested herself completely of title and possession and of all interest in the three parcels of property and that there .was no contention in the trial court nor is there one before us arguing the contrary. Cases such as Estate of Madison, 26 Cal.2d 453 [159 P.2d 630], Estate of Hyde, 92 Cal.App.2d 6 [206 P.2d 420], are therefore not in point.

Since the record suggests no others, this court on the record is limited to the issue as appellants state it.

Appellants argue that the commercial tables (admittedly obtained from a recognized insurance company of standing) used by John and Norman are an improper basis for valuation and assert higher monthly annuity payments than those obtained would have been fixed if calculation thereof were determined according to either Table A, Inheritance Tax Regulation 13952-13954(1), chapter 2.5 of title 18, California Administrative Code, or Table I2 of the Federal Estate Tax Regulations, Treasury Regulations, section 20.2031-7(f). However, the only evidence in the record to compel the use of the tables appellants urge or which contradicts the value of the consideration paid as fixed by the annuity agreement, is the [953]*953argument of appellants that the monthly payments John and Norman had obligated themselves to pay was less than what they would have been required to pay by the inheritance tax tables if the annuity had been determined in accordance with those tables.

Appellants have not cited and we find no California cases requiring the use of government rather than commercial annuity tables in a case such as the one at bench. It is true that Dunigan v. United States, 434 F.2d 892, cited by appellants, and Miami Beach First National Bank v. United States, 443 F.2d 116, affirm the principle that the government tables must be used in determining the value of private annuity contracts in federal estate and gift tax litigation unless the taxpayer can present evidence sufficient to prove that such tables are inapplicable and commercial tables more suitable to his particular case. However, even in those cases the opinions indicate that when both tables are- used adequate consideration becomes a question of fact for court and jury. The use of tables employed by commercial insurance companies was therefore proper.

The trial court accepted use of commercial annuity tables employed by insurance companies as a proper base for valuation at the time of the annuity -contract and found that payments to be made based thereon constituted adequate consideration' for inheritance tax purposes. (Estate of Stevens, 163 Cal.App.2d 255, 266 [329 P.2d 337].)

The court made findings and conclusions in pertinent part as follows:

“The Court finds that the value of the transferee-sons’ promise to pay to their mother the annuity provided in the Annuity Agreement admitted herein by stipulation was $120,000.00 on the dates of the transfers of the three parcels to them by their mother.
“Conclusions of Law
“From the stipulated facts and from the foregoing finding of act [sic], the Court makes the following conclusions of law:
“1. The transferee-sons’ promise to pay their mother the annuity prescribed in the Annuity Agreement admitted herein by stipulation was an adequate and full consideration in money, or money’s worth, for their mother’s transfer to them of the three parcels described in said Annuity Agreement.
“2. No portion of the value of the three parcels transferred by the decedent during her lifetime is subject to inheritance tax in the decedent’s estate.
[954]*954“3.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cory v. Corda
57 Cal. App. 3d 903 (California Court of Appeal, 1976)
Flournoy v. Howe
31 Cal. App. 3d 949 (California Court of Appeal, 1973)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
31 Cal. App. 3d 949, 107 Cal. Rptr. 766, 1973 Cal. App. LEXIS 1124, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/flournoy-v-howe-calctapp-1973.