Grove v. Commissioners of Internal Revenue

54 T.C. 799, 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 160
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedApril 21, 1970
DocketDocket No. 3141-68
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 54 T.C. 799 (Grove v. Commissioners of Internal Revenue) 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
Grove v. Commissioners of Internal Revenue, 54 T.C. 799, 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 160 (tax 1970).

Opinion

OPINION

Scott, Judge:

Respondent determined a deficiency in petitioners’ income tax for the calendar year 1964 in the amount of $2,153.59.

■ The only issue for decision is whether an amount received by petitioners as profit from the construction and sale of 18 condominium units pursuant to an agreement entitled “Joint Venture Agreement,” is ordinary income or capital gain.

All of the facts have been stipulated and are found accordingly.

Petitioners, husband and wife who resided in Chicago, Ill., at the time of the filing of their petition in this case, filed their joint Federal income tax return for the calendar year 1964 with the district director of internal revenue in Chicago, Ill., on the cash receipts and disbursements method of accounting.

Clyde W. Grove (hereinafter referred to as petitioner) and two other individuals on June 3, 1963, entered into an agreement with Edward Talaczynski and Edward Holzrichter and their wives entitled “Joint Venture Agreement,” under which an 18-unit condominium was to be built on certain property in Chicago owned by Talaczynski and Holzrichter and their wives and upon completion the units were to be sold. The parties agreed that the property should be valued at $50,000 and petitioner and the two other individuals who owned no interest in the land were to put up $50,000 in cash. The agreement provided in part as follows:

1. John Balik will invest the sum of $25,000.00 for which he shall have a %th interest in said venture; Clyde Grove will invest $12,500.00 for which he shall have a ¾2⅛. interest in said venture and Carl Holzrichter shall invest $12,500.00 for which he shall have a ⅛2⅛ interest in said venture. Edward Talaczynski and Edward Holzrichter, shall each have a one-third interest in said venture.
2. The property in questions [sic] shall be conveyed by Edward Holzrichter and spouse and Edward Talaczynski and spouse, hereinafter referred to as parties of the first part, to a Trustee, under a land trust, and the beneficial interest under the trust shall be as follows:
Edward Talaczynski and Thelma Talaczynski, jointly %rd.
Edward Holzrichter and Carol Holzrichter, jointly %rd.
John Balik and Josephine Balik, jointly ⅝⅛.
Clyde Grove and Charity Grove, jointly Vv¿th.
Carl Holzrichter and Lelia Holzrichter, jointly ¾2th.
3. The construction of said project shall be in charge of Edward Talaczynski who shall have the final deeesion [sic] as to type and nature of construction of the project, except that he shall consult and discuss plans and construction with the other members of this venture. Sales shall be in charged [sic] of Edward Holzrichter, who shall negotiate sales and managing for all units. Both parties herein shall perform their duties at no additional compensation, other than their share in the profits of this venture.
****** *
7. Upon the completion of the project, and after payment of all expenses and a return to each individual of his initial investment, then the profits shall be divided by the parties in accordance with their prorated shares, previously indicated, herein.
8. This shall not be deemed a partnership nor are the parties herein to be deemed partners, but rather this is a legal joint venture entered into by the parties for this sole venture to be known as “Windsor Condominiums”.
9. All parties agree to cooperate in the spirit of good faith in carrying out the terms and conditions of this agreement, in the spirit in which it is made rather than the technical legal wording thereof.
10. No party hereunder shall transfer his interest herein without the full consent of all other parties.

In 1964 the condominium, known as Windsor Court Condominium #1, was completed and the 18 units were sold for $378,951.19. The cost of construction was $270,601.34, leaving a gross profit of $108,349.85 from which operating expenses of $15,314.36 were paid leaving a net profit of $93,035.49. During 1964 the amount of $20,250 was distributed to petitioner from the venture, leaving a credit balance in his capital account of $2.96. Petitioners on their 1964 Federal income tax return reported a long-term capital gain of $7,750 from “Windsor Court Corp.” which they arrived at by showing a “gross sales price” of $20,250 from which they subtracted a “cost” of $12,500, showing a resulting gain of $7,750.

Respondent in his notice of deficiency determined that petitioners’ “gain of $7,752.96 from Windsor Courts Condominium #1 for 1964 is taxable as ordinary income.”

Petitioner takes the position that he made an investment of $12,500 in a capital asset because he held either a “beneficial interest” in a real estate investment trust, receipts from which are taxable under section 857, I.R.C. 1954,1 or a capital investment similar to stock in a corporation.

Respondent takes the position that the joint venture in which petitioner invested should be considered for Federal income tax purposes as a partnership under section 761, that the partnership was in the trade or business of 'building condominiums for sale to customers, thereby deriving ordinary income from the gain from the sales, and that under section 702(b) the income constitutes ordinary income to petitioners.

A mere reading of sections 856 and 857 shows that petitioner’s $12,500 investment was not in a “Real Estate Investment Trust.” One of the many requirements which was not met is that more than 100 persons hold an interest in the trust. Only five persons held an interest in the Windsor Court Condominium project.

The real question here is whether, as respondent contends, the joint venture agreement created a joint venture which is considered a partnership under Federal tax laws or a trust or other association taxable as a corporation. If we conclude that the “joint venture” is to be considered a partnership, then we must decide whether the partnership was in the trade or business of building and selling condominiums so that its income would be ordinary income to the partners under section 702(b).

Section 761 (a) 2 defines a partnership for tax purposes as including, a syndicate, group, pool, joint venture, or other unincorporated organization through or by means of which any business, financial operation, or venture is carried on and which is not a corporation or trust or estate within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code.

Petitioners argue without citation of any specific provision of the Revenue Code or the regulations, that with their $12,500 they purchased in 1063 a IRi^-percent beneficial interest in a trust and received the $20,250 in 1964 in “liquidation” of this interest or as a “liquidating dividend.” Section 641 deals with the taxation of estates and trusts.

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Grove v. Commissioners of Internal Revenue
54 T.C. 799 (U.S. Tax Court, 1970)

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Bluebook (online)
54 T.C. 799, 1970 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 160, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/grove-v-commissioners-of-internal-revenue-tax-1970.