Gardner v. Commissioner

1983 T.C. Memo. 171, 45 T.C.M. 1116, 1983 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 616
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedMarch 30, 1983
DocketDocket No. 21842-80.
StatusUnpublished

This text of 1983 T.C. Memo. 171 (Gardner 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
Gardner v. Commissioner, 1983 T.C. Memo. 171, 45 T.C.M. 1116, 1983 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 616 (tax 1983).

Opinion

JOHN E. GARDNER AND ALICEON GARDNER, Petitioners v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Gardner v. Commissioner
Docket No. 21842-80.
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1983-171; 1983 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 616; 45 T.C.M. (CCH) 1116; T.C.M. (RIA) 83171;
March 30, 1983.
*616

Held: Portion of basis allocable to improvements as of the time of acquisition of real property determined.

Held further: Respondent's disallowance of claimed business entertainment expense deduction sustained.

William F. Mason, Jr., for the petitioners.
William L. Ringuette, for the respondent.

IRWIN

MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION

IRWIN, Judge: Respondent determined deficiencies of $1,833 and $51,513 in petitioners' Federal income taxes for the 1976 and 1977 taxable years, respectively. After concessions by the parties, the issues remaining for our determination are: (1) whether the depreciation and demolition loss deductions taken by petitioners in 1976 and 1977 were excessive because the portion of the purchase price allocated to the depreciable structures and improvements on the real properties in question did not accurately reflect their value when the properties were acquired; and (2) whether petitioners are entitled to a business entertainment expense deduction under sections 1621*617 and 274 in the amount of $3,752.41 for the cost of a party given in 1977.

FINDINGS OF FACT

Some of the facts have been stipulated and are found accordingly. The stipulation of facts and attached exhibits are incorporated herein by this reference.

The petitioners, John E. Gardner and Aliceon Gardner are husband and wife. During the taxable years in question and at the time the instant petition was filed, they resided in Roanoke, Virginia. Petitioner John Gardner was a practicing dentist in the Roanoke area specializing in oral and maxillofacial surgery during the year in issue. Petitioners filed their Federal income tax returns for the taxable years 1976 and 1977 with the Internal Revenue Service in Memphis, Tennessee.

In 1973, petitioners purchased a tract of real property located at 1515 Franklin Road in Roanoke at a total cost of $73,994. The tract which contained approximately 28,000 square feet consisted of four 50-feet lots, a large residence and several out buildings. The purchase contract dated February 8, 1973, allocated $50,000 of the $70,000 stated purchase price to the buildings and the remaining $20,000 to the land. 2*618

Prior to petitioners' purchase, the house located on the 1515 Franklin Road property was an owner-occupied residence. Petitioners acquired the property for the purposes of deriving rental income and as an investment. On August 15, 1973, petitioners leased the 1515 Franklin Road property to a child guidance organization, Child Program Board, Inc., for a 3-year term at $7,200 per year. The lease was terminated by petitioners in the summer of 1975 for nonpayment of rent. The property suffered substantial damage during the time it was leased and occupied by the organization. The damage to the residence which occurred during the lease was so great that the property was unleaseable thereafter without extensive renovation. As a consequence, the property was not repaired and was never leased again by the petitioners. 3*619

In 1974, petitioners acquired three parcels of real property located at 1501 Franklin Road, 1507 Franklin Road, and 350 Woods Avenue, all in the City of Roanoke at a total cost of $100,751. These three parcels consisted of land, residences and out buildings. Mr. Garnder first became interested in these three properties in October 1973, as a result of an inquiry by the Child Program Board, Inc. concerning their interest in leasing more space for their business operations and child guidance activities. The contract for purchase dated January 7, 1974, allocated $40,000 to the buildings at 1501 Franklin Road, $25,000 to the buildings at 1507 Franklin Road, $25,000 4 to the buildings at 350 Woods Avenue and $10,000 to the land for all three parcels. All of the apartments located in the buildings on these three parcels were leased to various individuals at various times by petitioners until shortly before these buildings were demolished in 1977. The leases were usually for terms of a month or 30 days. The rents for the various apartments *620 ranged from $75 to $110 per month or 30-day term.

On or about July 21, 1975, the petitioners acquired three additional parcels of real property located at 352-354 Woods Avenue, 358 Woods Avenue and 362-364 Woods Avenue, all in the city of Roanoke, Virginia, at a total cost of $76,469. These parcels also consisted of land, residences and out buildings. The purchase contract was silent as to an allocation of the purchase price between the land and the buildings. Petitioners made the following allocation based on their experience and the advice of their accountant: 352-354 Woods Avenue, $19,400 to the buildings; 358 Woods Avenue, $19,400 to the buildings; 362-364 Woods Avenue, $19,400 to the buildings. The remaining $18,269 of the purchase price was allocated to the land for all three parcels.

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Bluebook (online)
1983 T.C. Memo. 171, 45 T.C.M. 1116, 1983 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 616, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gardner-v-commissioner-tax-1983.