Lamar v. Bookwalter

213 F. Supp. 860, 11 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1841, 1962 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5262
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Missouri
DecidedDecember 3, 1962
DocketNo. 13113-3
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 213 F. Supp. 860 (Lamar v. Bookwalter) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lamar v. Bookwalter, 213 F. Supp. 860, 11 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1841, 1962 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5262 (W.D. Mo. 1962).

Opinion

DUNCAN, District Judge.

This action was instituted by the executrix to recover the sum of $70,456.89 plus interest, alleged to have been overpaid as Federal Estate Taxes by the estate of Frederick C. Lamar. The facts are not in dispute, and the question for determination by the court is one of law; whether or not the plaintiff, as deceased’s widow, under the terms of his will was entitled to a marital deduction of 50%, or whether her interest was a terminable one under § 2056 Internal Revenue Code 1954, 26 U.S.C.A.1954 Ed. § 2056.

This controversy arises under § 361 Revenue Act of 1948; c. 168, 62 Stat. 110, which amended the Internal Revenue Code of 1939 to provide for a marital deduction. This section became § 812(e) of the Internal Revenue Code 1939, and is presently found in § 2056 Internal Revenue Code of 1954.

Prior to the enactment of this section, there was no provision in the tax laws allowing such marital deduction. The intent of Congress, as revealed in S.Rep. No.1013, 80th Cong. 2d Sess. U.S.Code, Cong.Serv.1948, Vol. II, page 1223 which accompanied the Bill, clearly points out that the basic purpose of the marital deduction was to equalize the tax situation between community and non-community property states. See Poe v. Seaborn, 282 U.S. 101, 51 S.Ct. 58, 75 L.Ed. 239; Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Ellis’ Estate, 252 F.2d 109 (C.A. 3d).

The enactment of this statute was the culmination of more than ten years of discussion and consideration by the tax writing committee of the Congress. The question first arose in the middle ’30s when the Treasury Department recommended that the tax benefits derived by husband and wife in the community property states be abolished, primarily for the purpose of obtaining additional revenue. This, of course, resulted in a great storm of protest from the twelve community property states, particularly Texas and California, where the wealthy taxpayers were enjoying preferential advantages as compared to the taxpayers of the rest of the country. A hearing was held before the Committee and the recommendation was not accepted or approved and written into the succeeding tax bill.

As Federal taxes continued to increase rapidly, the taxpayers in the non-community property states complained bitterly of inequality and demanded some relief for themselves. As a matter of fact, several states including Oklahoma and Michigan and others, enacted statutes to give their citizens relief. This was necessary because some of their wealthy citizens were moving into the community property states so that they might enjoy the tax benefits.

This controversy continued until finally it resulted in the enactment of the present bill which authorized joint tax returns between husband and wife, and provided for the marital deduction. However, in § 2056 Internal Revenue Code of 1954, the Congress has placed certain restrictions upon the transfer of property for the purpose of allowance of the marital deduction, including subsection (b) (1), which provides:

“Where, on the lapse of time, on the occurrence of an event or contingency, or on the failure of an event or contingency to occur, an interest passing to the surviving spouse will terminate or fail, no deduction shall be allowed under this section with respect to such interest — •”
And (b) (3) which provides:
“For purposes of this section, an interest passing to the surviving spouse shall not be considered as an interest which will terminate or fail on the death of such spouse if—
“ (A) such death will cause a termination or failure of such interest only if it occurs within a period not exceeding 6 months after the decedent’s death, or only if it occurs as a result of a common disaster result[862]*862ing in the death of the decedent and the surviving spouse, or only if it occurs in the case of either such event; and
“(B) such termination or failure does not in fact occur.”

In view of the clear and unequivocal Congressional expression that the purpose of the statute was to equalize the burden of Federal taxation between community and non-community property states, certainly the statute should be construed so as to effectuate that purpose, if it can be consistently done.

Frederick C. Lamar died testate on January 1, 1958, a resident of Jackson County, Missouri. He was survived by his widow, the plaintiff, a son, a daughter-in-law and a number of grandchildren. His will was admitted to probate on January 8, 1958, and his widow was duly appointed executrix by the Probate Court of Jackson County, Missouri.

After making certain specific bequests to his heirs, he provided in Article X of his will:

“I give, devise and bequeath all of the rest, residue and remainder of my property and estate, of whatsoever character and description, real, personal or mixed, wheresoever situate and whether acquired before or after the execution of this WILL, to my wife, Maude H. Lamar, to have and to hold as her property absolutely. (Emphasis supplied.)
“In the event, however, that my wife, Maude H. Lamar, shall die prior to my death and shall not survive me or in the event she shall die simultaneously with myself or as the result of the same common accident or calamity to both of us, or shall not survive the administration of my estate, then and in that event, I give, devise and bequeath and dispose of said residue and remainder of my property to the following persons, and in the manner as follows: (Emphasis supplied.)

The testator then made provision for the disposition of the residue of his estate to his son, his daughter-in-law and his grandchildren going into considerable detail as to how the estate should be disposed of, and to whom, all of which is not important to a determination of the issues here.

The estate consisted entirely of personal property, the bulk of which was stocks, bonds, securities and some mortgages. According to the records of the Probate Court, there were no debts except some minor current accounts and expenses incident to his death and the cost of administration.

The decedent’s widow did not predecease him, and survived the administration of his estate.

Subsequently there were some adjustments in the gross estate resulting from an audit, which reflected an increase in the value of certain stocks and securities. The marital deduction was also disallowed to the extent that it included the value of the assets within the residuary estate amounting to $223,907.31.

These adjustments led to an assessment of a tax deficiency against the estate of $70,456.89, which included principal and interest. The amount is not in controversy, and was paid by the executrix to the District Director on September 19, 1960, and on the same day a claim for refund was filed with the Commissioner, which was thereafter disallowed. In due time this action was instituted.

In disallowing the deduction the District Director contends that the provision of the will relative to the survival by the widow of the administration of the estate created a non-deductible terminable interest.

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213 F. Supp. 860, 11 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1841, 1962 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5262, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lamar-v-bookwalter-mowd-1962.