Hendrick v. Commissioner

35 T.C. 1223, 1961 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 192
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedMarch 31, 1961
DocketDocket No. 81690
StatusPublished
Cited by38 cases

This text of 35 T.C. 1223 (Hendrick 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
Hendrick v. Commissioner, 35 T.C. 1223, 1961 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 192 (tax 1961).

Opinion

Scott, Judge:

Respondent determined deficiencies in the income tax of petitioners for the years 1954, 1955, 1956, and 1957 in the amounts of $1,433.71, $941.67, $394.29, and $3,557.05, respectively.

The issues for decision are:

(1) The amounts of deductions for depreciation to which petitioners are entitled for the years 1954, 1955, 1956, and 1957 with respect to certain rental property owned by them;

(2) Whether petitioners are entitled to a deduction for legal fees paid by them in the taxable year 1954;

(3) Whether petitioners are entitled to a deduction for an appraisal fee paid by them in the taxable year 1956; and

(4) Whether petitioners are entitled to deduct as medical expenses the amounts paid by them as the cost of their son’s attending the Hampshire Country School.

Each of the parties has conceded certain issues raised by the pleadings.

FINDINGS OF FACT.

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

Petitioners are husband and wife who resided during all of the years here involved at 136 Blake Road, Hamden, Connecticut. They filed joint income tax returns for the taxable years 1954, 1955, 1956, and 1957 with the district director of internal revenue at Hartford, Connecticut.

Issue 1.

Petitioners purchased the improved real estate located at 136 Blake Road, Hamden, Connecticut, in November 1944 for $18,123. During the year 1951 petitioners converted the property into a two-family house. This conversion consisted of making one wing of the house into an apartment completely separate from the other part of the house. The apartment had its own front door and back door, and a stairway to the second floor and down to the basement. The total amount expended by petitioners in 1951 in the conversion of the property into a two-family house was $8,402.81. All of this amount was classified by petitioners as renovation expenses except for $158 paid as an architect’s fee and $9.82 and $60.89 designated as expended for hardware and fixtures, respectively. On June 25, 1952, petitioners spent $47.50 for outlets for the apartment, and on August 20, 1958, petitioners purchased a refrigerator and stove at a total cost of $300 which they listed under the cost of apartment conversion. In addition to the amount expended by petitioners in converting the house into a two-family house, petitioners, subsequent to the purchase of the property, expended the following amounts on the dates and for the purposes indicated:

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The house at 136 Blake Boad originally consisted of 12 rooms. Four of the original rooms were located in the wing which was converted in 1951 into the separate apartment and the eight remaining rooms were in the main portion of the house. However, prior to the conversion of the wing into an apartment, two of the original rooms had been made into one very large room to be used as a rumpus room. When the wing was converted to an apartment this room was left as one large room so that the apartment consisted of three rooms.

Petitioners on their income tax returns claimed a depreciation rate of 3 percent, a total depreciation in each of the years of $593.56, and a basis for depreciation of $15,871.17, computed as follows:

Original cost of the entire property_ $18,123.00
Improvements to entire property_ 3,239,58
Total- 21, 362. 58
Allocated to rented portion_ 7,120. 86
Direct cost of conversion_ 8,750.31
15,871.17

On brief they claimed a basis of depreciation of $15,283.50, computed as follows:

Original cost of the entire property_ $18,123.00
Less portion allocable to land__ l, 823.00
16, 300. 00
Improvements to entire property_ 3,239. 58
19, 539. 58
Allocable to rented portion (one-third)_ 6, 513.19
Direct cost of conversion_ 8, 750. 31
15,263. 50

Respondent in his notice of deficiency allowed a basis for depreciation of $6,698.39 computed as follows:

Building basis — -----„$15, 600.00
Improvements claimed_ $3, 239. 58
Less painting (repairs)_ 796.30 2,443.28
Additional improvements_ 8, 750. 31
Cost basis- 26,793.59
½ rental=$6,698.39; 12 rooms — 3 rented Depreciation $6,698.39 X 3%=$200.95

Respondent allowed the amount of $200.95 as depreciation in each of the years 1954, 1955, 1956, and 1957.

As of November 20, 1944, the property at 136 Blake Street was assessed by the town of Hamden, Connecticut, for real estate taxes at a total value of $23,660 of which $2,460 was allocated to land and $21,200 to buildings.

Shortly after the conversion of the property, it was rented to a couple who soon after renting the property became separated. The ■wife continued to occupy the property until late in the year 1953 but petitioners did not collect the rent. Thereafter and throughout the years here involved, the property was continuously rented to persons who paid the rental charge therefor to petitioners.

Issues 2 and S.

Amelia J. Ives was the stepgrandmother of Hobart J. Hendrick, hereinafter referred to as petitioner. Amelia J. Ives died on July 6, 1952, in Quincy, Illinois, leaving as her only heir at law a sister, Kate Jansen. Kate Jansen was appointed administratrix of the estate of Amelia J. Ives.

In early December 1952, petitioner received a letter from a bank at Quincy, Illinois, requesting him to come to Quincy, Illinois. Petitioner and his brother immediately went out to Quincy, Illinois, and someone in the trust department of the bank took them to see an attorney who showed them a copy of a will which purported to be a copy of a will made by Amelia J. Ives. The copy of the will which was shown to petitioner provided that one twenty-fifth of the estate be distributed to her sister, Kate JanSen, and the remainder of the estate be distributed one-third to petitioner and one-third each to petitioner’s brother and cousin.

The lawyer who drew up the will of Amelia J. Ives told petitioner that at the time he drew up the will he had instructed Amelia to go to the bank and to see the president of the bank and deposit the will in her safe-deposit box.

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Bluebook (online)
35 T.C. 1223, 1961 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 192, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hendrick-v-commissioner-tax-1961.