Kerry v. Commissioner

89 T.C. No. 29, 89 T.C. 327, 1987 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 119
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedAugust 24, 1987
DocketDocket Nos. 24442-81, 24443-81
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 89 T.C. No. 29 (Kerry 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
Kerry v. Commissioner, 89 T.C. No. 29, 89 T.C. 327, 1987 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 119 (tax 1987).

Opinion

WHITAKER, Judge-.

Respondent determined a deficiency in petitioners’ Federal income tax for the years and in the amounts indicated:

Vernon Y. and Mary Ann Kerry — Docket No. 24442-81
Year Deficiency
1974. $5,176
1975 . 463,688
1976. 69,283
1977. 78,001
Gail C. and Carol E. Kerry — Docket No. 24443-81
Year Deficiency
1974. $5,775
1975. 463,217
1976. 69,283
1977 . 73,548

After concessions by petitioners, the sole issue for decision is whether petitioners are entitled to investment tax credits (investment credits) relating to equipment purchased by the Kerry Bros, partnership in 1974, 1975, and 1976.

FINDINGS OF FACT

Some of the facts have been stipulated and are found accordingly. The stipulation of facts and attached exhibits are incorporated herein by this reference.

Petitioners Vernon Y. Kerry (Vernon Kerry) and Mary Ann Kerry, husband and wife throughout the years at issue,1 and petitioners Gail C. Kerry (Gail Kerry) and Carol E. Kerry, husband and wife, resided in Portersville, Pennsylvania, at the time their petitions herein were filed.2 Petitioners and their spouses filed joint individual income tax returns for each of the years at issue.

Vernon Kerry was president, and Gail Kerry was secretary-treasurer, of the Kerry Coal Co. (Kerry Coal), a small business corporation. Kerry Coal was incorporated on January 5, 1953, and elected to file as an S corporation on October 24, 1960. Kerry Coal was actively engaged in strip mining for coal in western Pennsylvania during the years in issue. In the early 1960’s, petitioners and a third brother began to acquire stock in Kerry Coal from their father. Upon their brother’s death in 1969, petitioners each acquired a 50-percent interest in Kerry Coal, which they owned through the time of trial. Kerry Coal reports its taxable income based on a fiscal year ending September 30.

In early 1974, petitioners formed Kerry Bros., a general partnership whose principal business was the buying, selling, and leasing of heavy equipment and land. Pursuant to the partnership agreement, petitioners transferred title to equipment and land owned jointly by them to the partnership, and the partnership’s net profits and losses were allocated to the partners in proportion to their ownership interests therein. At the time of its formation, Kerry Bros, was owned equally by petitioners. On December 29, 1975, petitioners each transferred by gift a 16%-percent interest in Kerry Bros, to separate but identical irrevocable inter vivos trusts (trusts) established for the benefit of their respective children. As a result of the transfer, and pursuant to the partnership agreement, each trust was allocated 16% percent of Kerry Bros.’ net profits and losses.3

Kerry Bros, was formed to hold legal title to equipment used by Kerry Coal in its mining operations. Kerry Coal had been engaged in deep mining for “quite a few years,” and was unable to obtain insurance covering its potential liability under recently enacted black lung legislation. Additionally, the volatility of the coal mining industry and the cost of complying with pollution control requirements made the minimizing of assets held by Kerry Coal imperative. Consequently, petitioners were advised to form a separate entity as a repository for the title to assets utilized by Kerry Coal. Allocation of the investment credit resulting from the purchase of qualified property by either Kerry Coal or Kerry Bros, was not discussed at the time Kerry Bros, was formed, and did not impact on the decision to purchase and own equipment through the partnership.

During 1974, 1975, and 1976, Kerry Bros, purchased draglines, bulldozers, and other heavy equipment used to remove overburden and mine coal. The following amounts of new and used equipment were purchased by Kerry Bros. and leased to Kerry Coal in the years indicated:

Amount New or used
Year purchased property Useful life years
1974 147,872 New 7 or more
1974 17,334 Used 5 or more but less than 7
1974 118,899 Used 7 or more
1975 217,091 New 7 or more
1975 91,380 Used 5 or more but less than 7
1976 219,010 New 7 or more years
1976 43,000 Used 7 or more years

Kerry Bros, reported both the new and used equipment as property qualifying for the investment credit on its original return for the year in which the property was purchased. Consequently, petitioners claimed as a distributive share from Kerry Bros, an investnient credit based upon their pro rata interest in the qualified investment property.4

Petitioners retained the accounting firm of Carbis Walker & Associates (Carbis Walker) of New Castle, Pennsylvania, as tax counsel. Petitioners relied upon Thomas J. Donovan (Donovan), a certified public accountant and senior partner with Carbis Walker, for the preparation of their personal, partnership, and corporate returns. Donovan was first employed by Carbis Walker in 1947, and had worked with petitioners’ father and Kerry Coal since the late 1940’s. The returns were prepared by a manager at Carbis Walker prior to being reviewed and signed by Donovan. Donovan would then submit the returns to petitioners for their signature. At the time he reviewed Kerry Bros.’ 1974, 1975, and 1976 returns, Donovan believed that the investment credit resulting from the purchase of qualified property could be passed from the partnership to petitioners as partners.5 Petitioners did not know that claiming the investment credit as partners of Kerry Bros, rather than as shareholders of Kerry Coal was impermissible until informed of this by Donovan subsequent to the commencement of the audit.

An audit of petitioners, Kerry Coal, and Kerry Bros, was begun by respondent no later than July 12, 1977. Pursuant to the audit, respondent disallowed petitioners’ distributive share of Kerry Bros.’ investment in property qualifying for the investment credit. Petitioners concede that they were not entitled to the reported distributive share of investment credit from Kerry Bros, for the years in issue by operation of the restrictions imposed upon noncorporate lessors of property by section 46(e)(3).6

Subsequent to commencement of the audit, Donovan contacted the law firm of Kirkpatrick, Lockhart, Johnson & Hutchison regarding the feasibility of making an untimely investment credit passthrough election.

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Kerry v. Commissioner
89 T.C. No. 29 (U.S. Tax Court, 1987)

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Bluebook (online)
89 T.C. No. 29, 89 T.C. 327, 1987 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 119, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kerry-v-commissioner-tax-1987.