Gadlow v. Commissioner

50 T.C. 975, 1968 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 53
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedSeptember 30, 1968
DocketDocket No. 3133-67
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 50 T.C. 975 (Gadlow 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
Gadlow v. Commissioner, 50 T.C. 975, 1968 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 53 (tax 1968).

Opinion

OPINION

Tietjens, Judge:

The Commissioner determined a deficiency in income tax of David B. Gadlow (hereinafter sometimes referred to as Gadlow) for the taxable year 1963 in the amount of $12,069.44. The only issue for our determination is how section 1305,1 I.R.C. 1954,2 applies to Gadlow’s damage award in computing the limitation of income tax under this section.

All of the facts are stipulated and are so found. The stipulations and exhibits attached thereto are incorporated herein by this reference.

Petitioners are the Bank of America National Trust & Savings Association and Margaret B. Graham, the duly authorized executors of the Estate of David B. Gadlow. As of the date of filing the petition in this case with the Tax Court, the Bank of America’s principal office was in San Rafael, Calif., and Margaret B. Graham’s legal residence was in San Francisco, Calif.

The deceased, David B. Gadlow, filed an individual Federal income tax return for the calendar year 1968 with-the district director of internal revenue, San Francisco, Calif. Gadlow died testate on October 22, 1965, and at the time of his death he legally resided in San Anselmo, Calif.

For all the taxable years here relevant, Gadlow was a real estate broker. His taxable periods were calendar years and he computed his taxable income on the cash method of accounting.

In the course of his business, Gadlow entered into a contract with another real estate broker, Joseph B. Simon (hereinafter sometimes referred to as Simon), of Philadelphia, Pa., and his company known as Joseph B. Simon & Co. (hereinafter sometimes referred to as Simon Co.).

As a result of the contract Gadlow was to earn and did in fact earn commissions or fees from various real estate transactions.

Simon breached the contract and Gadlow did not receive the fees or commissions to which he was legally entitled. Gadlow instituted a breach of contract damage suit in the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against Simon and Simon Co. As a result of this litigation Gadlow paid attorneys’ fees and expenses in his taxable years as follows:

Year Amount
1959-$6,292.94
1960- 3,842.97
1961- 8, 048.49
1962- 1, 614.31
1963- 56,000. 00
Total- 75,798. 71

The law firm of Obermayer, Rebmann, Maxwell and Hippel of Philadelphia, Pa., was employed by Gadlow to represent him in the suit. They were the only attorneys who represented Gadlow in the litigation, and the aforementioned attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred as a result of the litigation were paid by Gadlow to this law firm. The employment by the decedent of this law firm was on an hourly basis, rather than a contingent fee basis.

As a result of the litigation Gadlow received m 1963 an award totaling $94,789.33 plus interest. The principal amount of the award was for breach-of-contract damages for the following fees and commissions earned by him for the following taxable years:

Tear Amount
1953_ $3,880.73
1955_ 750. 00
1956_ 21,534.08
1957_ 22,245.10
1958_ 4,343.24
1959_ 13,095.52
Tear Amount
1960_ $7,789.88
1961_ 8,450. 63
1962_ 8,670. 85
1963_ 4, 029. 30
Total_ 94,789.33

Gadlow’s damages award was paid by checks made payable to David B. Gadlow and Obermayer, Rebmann, Maxwell and Iiippel, his attorneys. The checks required the endorsement of both payees, and after endorsement by the law firm the checks were delivered to Gadlow who then paid all attorneys’ fees then due and owing in the amount of $40,000 by his own personal checks.

The additional $16,000 of the attorneys’ fees was paid by Gadlow sometime during 1963.

Gadlow, on his 1963 income tax return, reported taxable income of $64,758.44. On line 12 of the tax return designated “Tax,” Gadlow inserted the figure $25,962.14 with the notation “See schedule of limitation under Sec. 1305.”

In one of the schedules attached to the 1963 return the expenses were prorated and deducted from the allocated income. That schedule recites:

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In another schedule attached to this return, the amounts in the above column designated “Net Income Chargeable to Year” were then added to each year’s income by Gadlow. Also, legal expenses deducted in the years paid were added back into income. That schedule recites:

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And, in a further schedule attached to the 1963 return, the amounts determined as additional tax were computed as illustrated below:

Year 1963
Schedule op Tax Limitation Under I.R.C. Sec. 1305
Tax computation excluding lump sum received in 1968 Tax computation including lump sum received in 1968
Total income reportable $27, 569. 11 $66, 358. 44
Less:
Standard deduction.. 1, 000. 00 1, 000. 00
Personal exemption. _ 600. 00 600. 00
Net taxable income_ 25, 969. 11 64, 758. 44
Tax thereon_ 10, 721. 77 38, 031. 58
Total tax due in 1963:
Tax from above_ 10, 721. 77

Additional tax for years affected by pro rata of lump sum per schedule attached:

1963_ $499. 57
1962_ 737. 62
1961_ 3, 596. 42
1960_ 2, 330. 07
1959_ 3, 442. 30
1958_ 408. 96
1957_ $2, 503. 40
1956_ 1, 230. 33
1955_
1953_ 491. 70
Total tax due_ 25, 962. 14

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Gadlow v. Commissioner
50 T.C. 975 (U.S. Tax Court, 1968)

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Bluebook (online)
50 T.C. 975, 1968 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 53, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gadlow-v-commissioner-tax-1968.