In re the Estate of Clark

107 Misc. 2d 17, 433 N.Y.S.2d 328, 1980 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2820
CourtNew York Surrogate's Court
DecidedOctober 20, 1980
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 107 Misc. 2d 17 (In re the Estate of Clark) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Surrogate's Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re the Estate of Clark, 107 Misc. 2d 17, 433 N.Y.S.2d 328, 1980 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2820 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1980).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Millard L. Midonick, J.

The New York executors of this estate have filed their accounting to which numerous objections have been made by presumptive remaindermen of the residuary trust under the decedent’s will, whose status to object was determined in a prior decision of this court (Matter of Clark, NYU, March 6, 1979, p 11, col 1). The parties have submitted a stipulation of facts and have agreed that the court can determine [18]*18most of the objections on the basis of the papers submitted, without a hearing, without prejudice to either side’s right to appeal.

The decedent died on October 4,1964, leaving a will dated January 26,1962. At the time of his death, the decedent was a resident of Virginia and was survived by his widow. The decedent’s will was admitted to original probate both in this county and in Virginia. Decedent’s widow successfully exercised a right of election against the will.

There are basically three issues to be determined at this time. The court will first deal with the issue involving the allocation of estate taxes. The objectants contend that the executors improperly allocated all Federal and Virginia estate taxes against the residuary trust and none against the decedent’s widow’s elective share. For the considerations analyzed below, the executors’ allocation is sustained.

The decedent’s assets of approximately $24,000,000 in value at his death consisted primarily of securities located in New York State. The decedent’s will directed New York probate and further directed that the will and its testamentary dispositions be governed by New York law. The decedent devised and bequeathed his Virginia farm and tangible personal property to his widow, created a preresiduary trust for the benefit of his widow and left the residuary in trust for his mother. The widow served and filed a notice of election in New York. The New York Court of Appeals ultimately determined in a landmark decision that the widow was entitled to elect against the will arid to receive such elective share as provided by Virginia law rather than New York law. (Matter of Clark, 21 NY2d 478.) Pursuant to Virginia law, the widow was entitled to receive essentially one half of the decedent’s New York estate outright in lieu of the devise of the Virginia farm and the preresiduary trust under the will. The trust provided for approximately one half of the balance of the estate, the widow being entitled to income and a general testamentary power of appointment.

The decedent’s gross estate for Federal estate tax purposes was valued at $22,138,603; the maximum marital deduction that would have been allowable was $10,133,771; the value of all property passing to decedent’s widow was [19]*19$9,155,803 which was all allowed as a marital deduction for Federal estate tax purposes. In addition, the estate was obligated to pay an “estate” tax to Virginia. A further discussion and analysis of the Virginia tax situation will be had below after describing the Federal estate tax situation.

The will contained a tax clause which directed that “any and all” estate taxes imposed upon or measured by “property that passes by my will, or otherwise, shall be paid out of the principal of my residuary estate”. As stated above, all Federal and Virginia taxes were charged against the residuary trust created for the benefit of the decedent’s mother, and no part of such taxes were charged against the widow’s elective share. The executors concede, and it is clear, that the widow here cannot claim the benefit of the tax clause of the will because her election against the will is a rejection of the will and all of its provisions. (Cf. First Camden Nat. Bank & Trust Co. v Hiram Lodge No. 81, Free & Accepted Masons, 134 NJ Eq 303, affd 135 NJ Eq 505; cases cited in Ann., 67 ALR3d 199,246, § 5.) Accordingly, applicable State law of tax apportionment must control as to the determination of the question whether the widow’s share bears any of the estate tax burden. The parties agree that Virginia law of apportionment applies, and this court is controlled by that conclusion on the basis of the predominant contacts reasons set forth in the New York State Court of Appeals decision involving this estate. (Matter of Clark, supra.)

The Virginia apportionment statute provides, as does New York’s statute, that estate and inheritance taxes, if the will does not provide otherwise, shall be apportioned to the beneficiaries of the estate: “in the proportion that the value of the property, interest or benefit of each such person bears to the total value of the property, interests and benefits received by all such persons interested in the estate, except that in making such proration each such person shall have the benefit of any [tax] exemptions, deductions and exclusions allowed by such law in respect of such person or the property passing to him”. (Va Code, § 64.1-161.)

With respect to the Federal estate tax paid by the decedent’s estate, there is no dispute over the fact that the entire elective share payable outright to the widow qualified for [20]*20the marital deduction. The Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals has determined the issue whether Federal estate taxes sháll or shall not be charged against a widow’s statutory elective share clearly in favor of the widow. In Alexandria Nat. Bank v Thomas (213 Va 620) the court determined that the issue of tax allocation was governed by the tax apportionment statute, section 64.1-161 of the Code of Virginia, quoted above. The court stated that the legislative history clearly indicated that the Legislature intended to give a surviving spouse the benefit of the marital deduction allowed under the Federal estate tax law; that Virginia’s apportionment statute is based on the principle that Federal estate taxes should be borne by those who receive property which has been included in the taxable estate, and that property which has not been included in determining the tax shall not bear any part of the tax burden. Accordingly, the objection insofar as it relates to the allocation of Federal estate taxes must be dismissed.

A more difficult question is presented as to the allocation af the Virginia “estate” tax. Virginia has two types of death taxes — an inheritance tax under section 58-152 of the Code of Virginia, and an estate tax under section 58-162 of the Code of Virginia. The estate tax is designed to take full advantage of the credit allowable against the Federal estate tax for the amount of State death taxes imposed on an estate. The estate tax imposed by section 58-162 is equal to the maximum Federal credit for State death taxes where that credit is greater than the inheritance tax which would otherwise be due under section 58-152, and section 58-162 reads as follows: “In every case in which the tax imposed by the preceding sections of this chapter * * * is greater than the tax imposed by this section, this section shall not apply. In every case in which the tax imposed by this section is greater than the tax imposed by the preceding sections of this chapter * * * this section shall apply and such tax so imposed shall be in lieu of the tax imposed by the preceding sections.”

The stipulation of facts and other papers submitted herein show that the Virginia inheritance tax under section 58-152 of the Code of Virginia would have totaled $1,131,084.60 of which the portion thereof attributable to [21]*21the widow’s share would have totaled $604,501.

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Bluebook (online)
107 Misc. 2d 17, 433 N.Y.S.2d 328, 1980 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2820, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-the-estate-of-clark-nysurct-1980.