Huntington Nat'l Bank v. Commissioner

32 B.T.A. 342, 1935 BTA LEXIS 961
CourtUnited States Board of Tax Appeals
DecidedApril 5, 1935
DocketDocket No. 53535.
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 32 B.T.A. 342 (Huntington Nat'l Bank v. Commissioner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Board of Tax Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Huntington Nat'l Bank v. Commissioner, 32 B.T.A. 342, 1935 BTA LEXIS 961 (bta 1935).

Opinions

[343]*343OPINION.

Sea well :

The deficiency in controversy in this proceeding relates to income tax for 1927 in the amount of $18,397. The facts as stipulated are incorporated herein by reference as our findings of fact.

On August 15, 1924, Joseph H. Frantz executed an instrument transferring to the petitioner, in trust, 2,000 shares of common stock of the American Rolling Mill Co., the principal of 1,000 shares of which to be for the “ sole use and benefit ” of each of his granddaughters, Janet and Jean Runkle, then 7 and 5 years old, respectively, and all cash dividends or their equivalent on the whole to be paid to his daughter, Gretchen Janet Runkle, mother of Janet and Jean Runkle, without restrictions during the life of the trust. Provision is made in the instrument for the payment of dividends paid on the stock to another in case of the daughter’s death; investment of stock dividends; reinvestment of the corpus in securities of the United States; and distribution of the corpus to persons other than the grandchildren in case of their death before becoming 30 years of age.

The petitioner was on the cash receipts and disbursements basis and maintained only one account for the trust estate.

The petitioner filed a fiduciary return of income for 1927 showing profit of $48,790 from the sale of stock, dividends of $4,000, and a deduction of $120 for compensation to the trustee. It reported that each grandchild, Gretchen J. Runkle, guardian, was entitled to one half of the dividends, less the deduction taken, and that the stock profit had been added to the principal of trusts for the grandchildren, one half to each. It also filed an income tax return for each grandchild showing' taxable profit of $24,395 realized from the sale of stock not in controversy here. In his computation of the deficiency the respondent held that the trust indenture created a single trust. This action the petitioner alleges as error, claiming that the instrument created two separate and distinct trusts, one for each grandchild.

More than one trust may be established by the same instrument. Whether more than one was intended here depends upon a construction of the instrument itself, there being no other evidence of intention. Examination of all of its provisions discloses that the settlor used the singular number twenty times in referring to the trusteed property. For instance, in the habendum clause the trustee is empowered to execute, with the approval of Gretchen J. Runkle, such instruments as are deemed necessary “in administering this trust ”, subject, however, to “ the provisions herein made with reference to said trust.” Clause 3 (a) provides that “During the [344]*344life of this trust ” cash dividends are to be paid to Gretchen J. Runkle, with the sole right to use the funds without accounting to anyone “ during or after the continuance of this trust.” Clause 4 directs that income from investments in Federal securities be invested in like securities and be “ added to the principal of this trust.” Another clause makes provision for the retention of the “ principal of the trust ” for the benefit of the surviving grandchild in case of the death of one before arriving at the age of thirty years. In case of the death of both before attaining that age, the “ whole of the principal of said trust ” and accumulations is to go to the settlor’s daughter.

Without any discussion of the purport of these terms pointing directly to intent to create a single trust, on brief counsel for the petitioner calls our attention to several provisions of the indenture, which he says clearly demonstrate the creation of two trusts. These provisions read as follows:

1st: One thousand (1,000) shares of said stock to be held by said The Huntington National Bank, of Columbus, the principal of which shall be for the sole use and benefit of my granddaughter, Janet Runkle, now aged seven years;
2nd: One thousand (1,000) shares of said stock to be held by said The Huntington National Bank, of Columbus, the principal of which shall be for the sole use and benefit of my granddaughter, Jean Runkle, now aged five years;
4th: All stock dividends which may be declared upon said two thousand (2,000) shares of stock as and when they may be declared and paid, shall be divided equally and added to the principal of the trust herein provided for my said granddaughters, Janet and Jean Runkle, and the certificates therefor delivered to said Trustee, The Huntington National Bank, of Columbus, and, upon approval of said Gretchen Janet Runkle, or her successor in interest, within a reasonable time, with due regard to market conditions, to be sold, and the proceeds of such sale or sales to be invested by said Trustee, The Huntington National Bank, of Columbus, in securities of the Federal Government of the United States, and in case of the maturity of any such securities, the proceeds thereof are to be re-invested in other similar securities, said investments to be made after advice and with approval of said Gretchen Janet Runkle or her successor in interest.
The income from said investments in Federal Government securities shall be re-invested in Federal Government securities, and be added to the principal of this trust.
5th: * * *
In case of the marriage and death of either or both of my said granddaughters, Janet Runkle and Jean Runkle, before arriving at the age of thirty (30) years, and leaving lawful issue, the trust fund herein provided for such granddaughter, or granddaughters, and subject to all of the conditions herein, is, by my said Trustee, The Huntington National Bank, of Columbus, to be held for the benefit of the issue of said deceased granddaughter or granddaughters, share and share alike, in the interest of the mother of said issue, and the Trustee herein, The Huntington National Bank, of Columbus, is to continue as Trustee, managing and administering the funds in accordance [345]*345with the provisions of this trust, until such child or children of such deceased granddaughter or granddaughters become of age.
# * :!< * * * *
This trust is to continue until each of my said granddaughters, Janet Runkle and Jean Runkle, respectively, shall arrive at the age of thirty (30) years, upon which event, in each case, and as soon as practicable thereafter, the trust fund with all accrued interest and accumulations herein provided for each of my said granddaughters shall be paid over by my said Trustee, The Huntington National Bank, of Columbus, or its successors, to my said granddaughters Janet Runkle and Jean Runkle, .as and when each of said granddaughters becomes of that age, respectively.

In the construction of a trust instrument to arrive at the intent of the settlor all of the provisions of the document must be considered, not a few isolated provisions. Fidelity & Columbia Trust Co. v. Lucas, 66 Fed. (2d) 116. Clause 4 is clearly ambiguous to the extent that it provides for an equal division of stock dividends for addition to “ the principal of the trust.” There is language in the quoted provisions of the fifth clause of the instrument indicating an intent to create a separate trust for each grandchild. When read, however, in connection with other directions of the settlor, it becomes apparent that no such intention was meant.

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Huntington Nat'l Bank v. Commissioner
32 B.T.A. 342 (Board of Tax Appeals, 1935)

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32 B.T.A. 342, 1935 BTA LEXIS 961, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/huntington-natl-bank-v-commissioner-bta-1935.