Griswold v. Commissioner

85 T.C. No. 51, 85 T.C. 869, 1985 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 14, 6 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 2465
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedNovember 26, 1985
DocketDocket No. 9370-84
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 85 T.C. No. 51 (Griswold 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
Griswold v. Commissioner, 85 T.C. No. 51, 85 T.C. 869, 1985 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 14, 6 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 2465 (tax 1985).

Opinion

OPINION

Fay, Judge:

Respondent determined a deficiency of $3,787 in petitioners’ 1980 Federal income tax. After concessions, the sole issue is whether, under section 408(e)(3),1 petitioner Kenneth P. Griswold’s borrowing against an annuity contract during 1980 caused such contract to cease being an individual retirement annuity and required petitioners to include in their gross income for 1980 the fair market value thereof.

The facts have been fully stipulated and are so found.

Petitioners Kenneth P. Griswold and Florine Griswold are husband and wife. They resided in St. Paul, Minn., at the time they filed the petition herein.

During the year in issue, petitioner Kenneth P. Griswold (herein petitioner) was the owner of an annuity contract with John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Co. (herein John Hancock). The fair market value of this contract as of January 1, 1980, was $6,866.

On July 1, 1980, petitioner obtained a loan from John Hancock by borrowing against the loan value of the annuity contract.2 At the time of this borrowing, the annuity contract satisfied the requirements set forth in section 408(b), and thus was an individual retirement annuity within the meaning of that section. Petitioner had been advised by a representative of John Hancock that such borrowing was without income tax consequences so long as the loan was repaid. Petitioner repaid the loan in full prior to April 15, 1981.

In late June or early July of 1981, petitioner received a check from John Hancock in the amount of $8,510.27, representing the entire balance of his annuity contract. On July 21, 1981, petitioner reinvested the entire amount received from John Hancock with Delaware Charter Guaranty & Trust Co. through Piper, Jaffray & Hopwood, Inc.

In his notice of deficiency, respondent determined that, by reason of petitioner’s borrowing against the individual retirement annuity contract, petitioners were required under section 408(e)(3) to include in their gross income for 1980 the sum of $6,866, representing the fair market value of such contract as of January 1, 1980. Respondent also made several other adjustments concerning petitioners’ Federal income tax liability, as to which the parties have reached agreement. Thus, the sole remaining issue is whether, under section 408(e)(3), petitioner’s borrowing against the annuity contract caused such contract to cease being an individual retirement annuity and required petitioners to include in gross income for 1980 the value of such contract as of January 1, 1980.3

Individual retirement annuities, like individual retirement accounts, are a form of tax-favored retirement savings arrangement.4 The rules governing their taxability are generally contained in section 408. As relevant herein, section 408(d)(1) sets forth the general rule that amounts paid or distributed under an individual retirement annuity shall be included in gross income for the taxable year in which the payment or distribution is received. The owner of an individual retirement annuity thus is generally not taxed with respect thereto until amounts are received by him under the annuity contract. Cf. sec. 408(d)(1), sec. 1.408-4(a), Income Tax Regs.5

However, an exception to this general rule is contained in section 408(e)(3), which provides as follows:

(3) Effect of BORROWING on annuity contract. — If during any taxable year the owner of an individual retirement annuity borrows any money under or by use of such contract, the contract ceases to be an individual retirement annuity as of the first day of such taxable year. Such owner shall include in gross income for such year an amount equal to the fair market value of such contract as of such first day.

Section 1.408-3, Income Tax Regs., sets forth rules pertaining to individual retirement annuities. Of particular relevance herein is section 1.408-3(c), Income Tax Regs., which provides as follows:

(c) Disqualification. — If during any taxable year the owner of an annuity borrows any money under the annuity or endowment contract or by use of such contract (including, but not limited to, pledging the contract as security for any loan), such contract will cease to be an individual retirement annuity as of the first day of such taxable year, and will not be an individual retirement annuity at any time thereafter. If an annuity or endowment contract which constitutes an individual retirement annuity is disqualified as a result of the preceding sentence, an amount equal to the fair market value of the contract as of the first day of the taxable year of the owner in which such contract is disqualified is deemed to be distributed to the owner. Such owner shall include in gross income for such year an amount equal to the fair market value of such contract as of such first day. The preceding sentence applies even though part of the fair market value of the individual retirement annuity as of the first day of the taxable year is attributable to excess contributions which may be returned tax-free under section 408(d)(4) or 408(d)(5).

Under the clear language of section 408(e)(3) and section 1.408-3(c), Income Tax Regs., the owner’s borrowing under or by use of an individual retirement annuity is a disqualifying event having two distinct consequences. First, it causes the annuity contract to cease being an individual retirement annuity as of the first day of the taxable year in which such borrowing occurs. Thus, as of such date, the annuity contract ceases to be eligible for the favorable tax treatment generally accorded to individual retirement annuities. Second, an amount equal to the fair market value of such contract on the first day of the taxable year in which the borrowing occurs is deemed distributed to the owner, who is required to include such amount in gross income for such taxable year.

Application of these principles to the facts of the instant case requires a holding for respondent. During 1980, petitioner was the owner of an annuity contract with John Hancock. On July 1, 1980, petitioner obtained a loan from John Hancock by borrowing against the loan value of the annuity contract. At the time of such borrowing, the contract satisfied the requirements set forth in section 408(b) and thus was an individual retirement annuity within the meaning of that section. We conclude that the loan from John Hancock to petitioner was a borrowing under or by use of an individual retirement annuity. Accordingly, we hold under section 408(e)(3) that the borrowing caused petitioner’s annuity contract to cease being an individual retirement annuity as of January 1, 1980, and that petitioners must include in their gross income for 1980 the sum of $6,866, representing the fair market value of the annuity contract with John Hancock as of January 1, 1980.

Our conclusion is supported not only by the express language of the statute and the regulations, but also by the legislative history relating to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, Pub. L. 93-406, 88 Stat. 829 (herein erisa) as part of which section 408 was enacted into law. In adopting the individual retirement provisions of erisa,6

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
85 T.C. No. 51, 85 T.C. 869, 1985 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 14, 6 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 2465, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/griswold-v-commissioner-tax-1985.