In re the Estate of Joseph S. O'Neil

68 Misc. 2d 634, 327 N.Y.S.2d 725, 1972 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2323
CourtNew York Surrogate's Court
DecidedJanuary 7, 1972
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 68 Misc. 2d 634 (In re the Estate of Joseph S. O'Neil) 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 Joseph S. O'Neil, 68 Misc. 2d 634, 327 N.Y.S.2d 725, 1972 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2323 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1972).

Opinion

John M. Keane, S.

This proceeding is a final accounting made by the executors of the will of George M. Ely, deceased,'who died January 25, 1969 and who was the testamentary trustee under the will of Joseph S. O’Neil, deceased. The life beneficiary of the trust was Albert M. O’Neil, a brother of the decedent who had resided for many years in France, and who died there April 10, 1970. In order to understand the problems before the court, a brief recital of the facts is required.

By a decree of this court dated October 4, 1951, there were delivered to George M. Ely as testamentary trustee 1165 shares of stock of the Geo. F. O’Neil Realty Corporation valued at $163,100. Except for $581.36 of cash, these shares constituted the complete corpus of the trust. The principal now on hand of $180,818.90 represents proceeds received on a subsequent liquidation of these shares. The account filed also shows that [636]*636there is $48,717.05 on hand representing picóme undistributed to the life beneficiary, Albert M. O’Neil, during his lifetime.

From the period of October 4, 1951 to June 30, 1954 the account contains a separate summary statement concerning principal and income apparently made by the testamentary trustee while holding the original shares of stock in the corpus. The account states that the shares of the Geo. F. O’Neil Realty Corporation were liquidated sometime in 1956. The account then shows in detail all transactions from 1957 up to the present time.

On October 29, 1965, the testamentary trustee placed the corpus of the trust with First-City National Bank of Binghamton, N. Y. in a custodian account. Some of the confusion that may appear occurs because First-City National Bank of Binghamton, N. Y. is involved in three capacities; (1) as custodian of the trust corpus during the lifetime of the testamentary trustee; (2) as one of his coexecutors, and (3) as administrator of the estate of Albert M. O’Neil, deceased, the life beneficiary.

There are two questions before the court. Who is entitled to the $48,717.05 of undistributed income? Is it the estate of Albert M. O’Neil, the deceased life beneficiary, or is it the remaindermen named by the decedent, Joseph S. 0 ’Neil? Should commissions be allowed to the estate of the deceased testamentary trustee for services rendered during his lifetime? Finally, should compensation be allowed to the fiduciaries of the deceased testamentary trustee pursuant to subdivision 6 of iSCPA 2207?

The will of Joseph S. O’Neil, deceased, disposes of the remainder after the death of Albert M. O’Neil, the life beneficiary, as follows: “ Upon the death of the said Albert M. O’Neil, to pay over the principal and any undistributed income and depreciation reserve to my nephews and niece, Clendenin J. Ryan, now residing at 32 East 70th Street, New York, New York, George F. Ryan, now residing at 71 East 71st Street, New York, New York, Richard M. Ryan, now residing at 133 East 64th Street, New York, New York and Caroline O’Neil Foulke, now residing at 770 Park Avenue, New York, New York, share and share alike.”

The precise question concerns a construction of the words “undistributed income.” Does this mean “ undistributed ” literally, requiring payment to the remaindermen or does it really direct against an apportionment under section 204 of the Surrogate’s Court Act in effect at the time the will was probated?

[637]*637The guardian ad litem and other respondents who are the distributees in the estate of Albert M. O’Neil contend that the accumulated income received prior to April 10, 1970, the date of the death of Albert M. O’Neil, the life beneficiary, even though undistributed in the strict sense, should be payable to his estate rather than to the remaindermen. Additionally, they claim that income accrued up to the date of Albert M. O’Neil’s death should be paid to his estate.

Matter of Gans (7 Misc 2d 345, 346 [1957]) construed language almost identical with the excerpt from decedent’s will above. The court stated (p. 346): “Income actually received by the trustee during the trust period will not be payable to the remaindermen (Matter of Watson, 262 N. Y. 284) but income accruing during the widow’s lifetime and payable after her death will be distributable to the remaindermen by reason of the directions in the will [citing further cases].”

The fiduciary income tax returns for the years 1960 through 1970, when the life beneficiary died, show the net income deducted as distributable to the life beneficiary. With this deduction, the testamentary trustee paid no income tax as fiduciary during the lifetime of the life beneficiary. These fiduciary income tax returns show that all income received was constructively remitted to Albert M. O’Neil even though not segregated by the testamentary trustee.

The $48,717.05 shall be paid to the administrator of the estate of Albert M. O’Neil. The language in the will is sufficient to express a wish against apportionment of income otherwise mandated by section 204 of the Surrogate’s Court Act (now EPTL 11-2.1, subd. [c], par. [4]), so that all income accrued but unpaid at the death of Albert M. O’Neil as well as all income subsequently received shall be payable to the remaindermen. The court is aware that Matter of Sulima (193 Misc. 159 [1948]) reaches a different conclusion on language similar to the excerpt of the will quoted above.

A more complicated problem arises in determining what commissions, if any, should be allowed. The problem of computation of commissions on older trusts affected by the changing legislation of the 1940’s and 1950’s is approached by the Bar with the same enthusiasm that sailors of old ventured into the Sargasso iSea. To reach a conclusion, the court must be an archivist, because current texts have long ago discarded the historical material needed to put the statutes into proper sequence and perspective.

[638]*638The only objections filed to the account failed to differentiate between principal and income commissions, and state that all commissions ■ should be denied because (a) the testamentary trustee waived commissions by the manner in which he managed the trust, and (b) the testamentary trustee did not carry out his duties in a reasonable and proper manner.

There have been no objections or allegations that the conduct of the testamentary trustee resulted in any loss to the beneficiaries or that there was any improper management of the funds. The account shows that the principal presently on hand exceeds the appraised value of the stock which the trustee received in 1951.

Allowance of commissions to an estate of a deceased fiduciary is in the discretion of the court. (Matter of Barker, 230 N. Y. 364, 371 [1921].) Insufficient evidence has been submitted for the court to deny commissions to the estate of the deceased testamentary trustee. Receiving commissions only on principal shall be paid to the estate of the deceased testamentary trustee computed pursuant to subdivision 1 of SCPA 2308. Compensation shall be paid to the fiduciaries of the deceased testamentary trustee pursuant to subdivision 6 of SCPA 2207 in an amount equal to paying commissions computed pursuant to subdivision 1 of SCPA 2308.

Although the decedent died prior to August 31, 1956, no claim is being made for any annual principal commissions prior to 1957. Therefore, it is not necessary to apply the ratqs which were in effect prior to July 1, 1956.

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Bluebook (online)
68 Misc. 2d 634, 327 N.Y.S.2d 725, 1972 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2323, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-the-estate-of-joseph-s-oneil-nysurct-1972.