Holt v. Commissioner

44 T.C. 686, 1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 46
United States Tax Court·Decided July 30, 1965·No. Docket Nos. 86329, 93475·Published·Cited by 26 cases

Opinion

Arundell,* Judge:

Respondent determined deficiencies in petitioners’ income tax for the years 1956, 1951, and 1958 in the amounts of $630.01, $786.38, and $1,201.57, respectively. Subsequently, all issues pertaining to 1956 and 1957 and all but one issue relating to 1958 were settled.

FINDINGS OE PACT

Bentley L. Holt, hereinafter referred to as Bentley or petitioner, and Bonnie J. Holt were husband and wife, residing near Isabel, S. Dak., in 1958. They filed a joint Federal income tax return for that year on the cash basis method of 'accounting with the district director of internal revenue for the district including South Dakota.

Bentley is of Indian blood and descent. He is a duly enrolled,1 allotted,2 and recognized member of the Cheyenne River Tribe of Sioux Indians, hereinafter referred to as tribe. He has been designated Allottee No. 3704 on the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota and is classified as a noncompetent3 ward4 of the Federal Government.

The constitution of the tribe contains the following provisions:

Article VIII — Land
Sec. 1. Allotted, lands. — Allotted 'lands, Including ‘heirship lands, within the Oheyenne River Reservation shall continue to be held as heretofore by their present owners. It is recognized that under existing law such lands may be condemned for public purposes, such as roads, public buildings, or other public improvements, upon payment of adequate compensation, by any agency of the State of South Dakota or of the Federal Government, or by the tribe itself. It is further recognized that under existing law such ‘lands may be inherited by the heirs of the present owner, whether or not they are members of the Cheyenne River Sioux 'Tribe. Likewise it is recognized that under existing law ’the Secretary of the Inferior may, in his discretion, remove restrictions upon such land, upon application by the Indian owner, whereupon the land will become subject to State taxes and may then be mortgaged or sold.
The right of the individual Indian to hold or to part with his land, as under existing law, shall not be abrogated by anything contained in this constitution, but the owner of restricted land may, with ithe approval of the Secretary of the Interior, voluntarily convey his land to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe either in exchange for a money payment or in exchange for an assignment covering the same land or other land, as hereinafter provided.
Sec. 2. Tribal lands. — The unallotted lands of the Cheyenne River Reservation and all lands which may hereafter be acquired by the Oheyenne River Sioux Tribe or by 'the United States in 'trust for the ’Oheyenne River Sioux Tribe shall be held as tribal lands, and no part of such land shall be mortgaged or sold. Tribal lands shall not be allotted to individual Indians but may be assigned to members of the Oheyenne River 'Sioux Tribe, or leased, or otherwise used by the tribe, as hereinafter provided.
Sec. 3. Leasing of tribal lands. — Tribal lands may be leased by the tribal council, with 'the approval of the 'Secretary of the Interior, for such periods of time as are permitted by law.
In the leasing of tribal lands preference shall be given, first to Indian cooperative associations, and, secondly, to individual Indians who are members of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. No lease of tribal land to a non-member shall be made by the tribal council unless it shall appear that no Indian cooperative association or individual member of the tribe is able and willing to use the land and to pay a reasonable fee for such use.
Grazing permits covering tribal land may be issued by the tribal council, with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, in the same manner and upon the same terms as leases.
‡ * * * $ # *
Sec. 6. Grant of “eweliange” assignment. — Any member of the tribe who owns an 'allotment or any share of heirship land may voluntarily transfer his interest in such land to the ¡tribe in exchange for any assignment to the same land or other land of equal value. If the assignee prefers, he may receive, in lieu of a specific tract of land, a proportionate share in a larger grazing unit.
Assignments made under this section shall be known as “exchange” assignments.
*******
Sec. 10. Exchange of assignments. — Assignments may be exchanged between members of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe by common consent in such manner as the tribal council shall designate.
Sec. 11. Use of unassigned tribal land. — Tribal land which is not assigned, including tribal timber reserves, shall be managed by the tribal council for the benefit of the members of the entire tribe, and any cash income derived from such land shall accrue to the benefit of the tribe as a whole.

During 1958 Bentley derived income from ranching and farming operations on 3,520 acres of land. He had obtained 1,440 of the 3,520 acres as allotted lands pursuant to sections 1, 6, and 10 of article VXII of the tribal constitution. Title to 320 acres was held by Bentley in fee. Title to the remaining 1,760 acres was held in trust by the United States for the benefit of the tribe and this acreage was denoted “tribal lands.”

In 1954 Congress passed Pub. L. No. 776. The Act’s purpose was to provide—

complete rehabilitation for all members of said Tribe who are residents of the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation * * * and for relocating and reestablishing members of said Tribe * * * to the extent that the economic, social, religious, and community life of all said Indians shall be restored to a condition not less advantageous * * * than the condition that the said Indians now are in: Provided, That said fund provided for in this section shall be expended upon the order and direction of the Tribal Council of said Tribe, * * * [68 Stat. 1192 (1954).]

On February 6, 1956, the Commissioner of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, pursuant to authority delegated by the foregoing Act, approved the tribe’s rehabilitation plan, hereinafter called the plan.

One aspect of this plan was the “repayment cattle program.” Under this program, land, bulls, yearling heifers, and production materials were furnished by the tribe to its members interested in ranching, and they subsequently repaid the grants in the form of cattle and cash. Title to all cattle furnished to the member pursuant to the program remained in the tribe until full payment therefor. The cattle could be sold only with the permission of the tribe’s governing body.

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Holt v. Commissioner, 44 T.C. 686, 1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 46 (tax 1965).

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