King v. United States

12 F. Supp. 614, 16 A.F.T.R. (P-H) 1201, 1935 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1187
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedNovember 4, 1935
DocketNo. 6148
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 12 F. Supp. 614 (King v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
King v. United States, 12 F. Supp. 614, 16 A.F.T.R. (P-H) 1201, 1935 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1187 (D. Mass. 1935).

Opinion

SWEENEY, District Judge.

This is an action at law to recover a deficiency assessment of income tax for the years 1929 and 1930. The point of law involved disposes of the claims for both years as they are filed under the same circumstances. The plaintiff contends that, since the petitioner had assigned all of her right, title, and interest in a trust fund hereinafter set forth in the agreed statement of facts,-and that, not being entitled to income under that trust fund, the income was not taxable to her. The defendant questions the validity of the assignment by the petitioner, and contends that, since the purported assignment was invalid, the income thereunder was income due her within the meaning of section 21 of the Revenue Act of 1928 (26 USCA § 2021).

The court adopts as its findings of fact the following agreed statement of facts:

“It is hereby stipulated by and between the parties hereto by their respective attorneys, that the following facts may be taken as true upon the trial of this case, subject to the right of either party to object, on grounds of irrelevancy or immateriality, to any of the facts herein stipulated, and subject further to the right of either of the parties to introduce other and further evidence not inconsistent with any of the facts herein stipulated to be true.

“On December 1, 1913, the will of Henry P. King, late of Beverly, Massachusetts, deceased, was duly proved and allowed in the probate court for the county of Essex. The said will, in so far as pertinent to this case, contains the following provisions :

“ ‘All the rest and residue of my property of every nature I give to my trustees hereinafter named upon the following trust, to pay the net income thereof to my wife Alice S. King upon her own sole order or receipt for and during her life and after her death to apply so much of said income for the maintenance and education of my son Henry P. King, Jr. as my trustees shall deem necessary adding the unexpended balance of income to principal until he shall have attained the age of twenty-one (21) years and thereafter to pay over to him as much of the net income of said trust fund as in their absolute discretion my trustees shall decide as best for his interests adding the unexpended balance thereof if any to principal until he shall have attained the age of thirty (30) years and after my said son shall have attained the age of 30 years, to pay over to him such part or the whole of the principal of said trust fund at such time or times as my trustees shall in their absolute discretion decide as best for his [615]*615interests paying over or withholding (or part each) in their discretion the net income of súch part or the whole of said trust fund as shall not have been paid over to him as aforesaid and upon the death of my said son to pay over and distribute such of said trust fund as shall not have been previously paid over and distributed to and among his children in equal shares and/or to their issue by right of representation and in case my said son shall die without leaving issue surviving him .then to my sister Sarah K. Weld or if she shall be not then living to her children in equal shares and/or their issue by right of representation. I also empower my trustees in case my said son shall marry to pay over during his lifetime to or for the benefit of his wife, or children or both such portion or the whole of the income of said trust fund as my trustees in their absolute discretion shall deem best and in such manner as they deem best. Payments of income hereunder are to he made upon the sole order or receipt of the beneficiary without power of anticipation by voluntary or involuntary assignment or otherwise and free from the control of any creditors.’

“The petitioner in this case is the Alice S. King mentioned in said will. The petitioner and the trustees under the said will and Henry P. King, formerly Jr., all executed a certain instrument on April 1, 1920, in these words:
“ ‘Know all men by these presents
“ ‘That whereas Henry P. King late of Beverly, Massachusetts, deceased, by his will duly proved and allowed in the Probate Court, County of Essex, December 1, 1913 (Rec. Book 710, page 42) gave all the rest and residue of his property to his trustees upon trust to pay the net income thereof to his wife Alice S. King for and during her life, and after her death for the benefit of his son, Henry P. King, Jr., and upon certain other trusts therein more particularly set forth, and
“ ‘Whereas said Henry P. King, Jr. has now attained the age of twenty-one (21) years and has married, and I desire to waive in his behalf and release to him absolutely my beneficial life estate under said will,
“ ‘Now therefore, I, Alice S. King, widow of said Henry P. King, in consideration thereof and of One Dollar and other valuable considerations paid by said Henry P. King, Jr., receipt of which is acknowledged, do hereby waive, release and surrender, and in confirmation of such waiver, release and surrender, do hereby assign, transfer and set over unto the said Henry P. King, Jr., all of my said life estate and all my beneficial interest under said trust, and authorize and direct to the trustees hereunder henceforth to pay over to him the income at such times and in such manner as is provided in said will to be paid to me, and I hereby release and discharge the trustees from all liability and obligation to me under said will, and agree to indemnify them and hold them harmless for all liability or damage which they shall incur for any payments made or acts done in consequence hereof.
“ ‘[Signed] Alice S. King.
“ ‘In consideration of the foregoing assignment and agreement of.indemnity we, William S. Spaulding, John T. Spaulding and Edward M. Weld, Trustees under the will of Henry P. King, hereby accept said waiver and assignment and agree to be governed thereby so far as is consistent with the terms of said will.
“ ‘[Signed] William S. Spaulding
** ‘[Signed] John T. Spaulding
“ ‘[Signed] Edward M. Weld
“ ‘In consideration of the foregoing 1, Henry P. King, (formerly Henry P. King, Jr.) hereunto set my hand and seal in token of my assent thereto and acceptance thereof.
“‘[Signed] Henry P. King. [Seal.]
“ ‘April 1, 1920.’
“Said Henry P. King, Jr., was born on January 12, 1898, and is now known as Henry P. King. In pursuance of said instrument, the said trustees in the years 1929 and 1930 paid over all the net income from the said trust to the said Henry P. King. The petitioner did not include the said income in her federal income tax returns for the calendar years 1929 and 1930. With respect to the petitioner’s federal income tax for the calendar year 1929, a deficiency assessment of $4,540.26 was assessed to the petitioner on account of the said income from the said trust for the year 1929. A like deficiency was assessed against the petitioner for the year 1930 in the amount of $2,175.62 on account of the income from the said trust during the year 1930.
“The petitioner is and has been at all material times a citizen of the United [616]*616States and a resident of Beverly in the commonwealth of Massachusetts.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
12 F. Supp. 614, 16 A.F.T.R. (P-H) 1201, 1935 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1187, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/king-v-united-states-mad-1935.