Laughlin v. Commissioner

8 T.C. 33, 1947 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 317
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedJanuary 16, 1947
DocketDocket No. 5891
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 8 T.C. 33 (Laughlin 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
Laughlin v. Commissioner, 8 T.C. 33, 1947 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 317 (tax 1947).

Opinions

OPINION.

Black, Judge:

This proceeding involves a deficiency in income tax for the calendar year 1942 in the amount of $8,647.89. The deficiency is due to several adjustments to the net income of the estate of Homer Laughlin as disclosed by its return for the year 1942. Petitioner, by appropriate assignments of error, contests two of these adjustments in the respective amounts of $1,200 and $9,600. These adjustments were explained by the respondent in a statement attached to the deficiency notice as follows:

(a) There is restored to gross income, or disallowed as a deduction therefrom, under the applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, the exclusion or deduction of $1,200.00 shown in Schedule C of your return as “Iiess assignment of rent to Ella West”.
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(d) The deduction of $9,600.00 claimed for payment to Ada Edwards Laughlin on account of “property settlement agreement with Homer Laughlin - $800.00 per month for life” is not allowable under the Internal Revenue Code.

There are, therefore, two issues in this proceeding, namely, (1) whether the amount of $1,200 paid to Ella West under the facts hereinafter set forth is excludible or deductible from the gross income of decedent’s estate for the calendar year 1942; and (2) whether the amount of $9,600 provided for in an agreement entered into between decedent and his wife, Ada Edwards Laughlin, and incorporated in a decree of divorce, is deductible from the gross income of decedent’s estate for the calendar year 1942.

All the facts are stipulated. The stipulation is incorporated herein by reference and adopted as our findings of fact. Such facts as are deemed necessary to an understanding of the issues decided are summarized below:

Issue 1. — Petitioner is the administrator c. t. a. of the estate of Homer Lauglin, who died on December 27, 1932, a resident of Los Angeles, California. The estate is still in the process of administration. The income tax return of the estate for the taxable period involved was filed with the collector for the sixth district of California on or before March 15,1943. Homer Laughlin, Sr., father of Homer Laughlin, died on or about January 10,1913, leaving a last will and testament dated August 30,1909, duly admitted to probate on January 29,1913, in the Superior Court of the State of California in and for the County of Los Angeles, which will contained, among other provisions, the following:

Second: I give, devise and bequeath unto my nieces, Ella West and Nancy McIntosh, each the sum of One hundred dollars ($100) per month, payable quarterly to each of them during their natural life.

After certain other legacies, bequests, and devises, the will gave the residue of the estate equally to decedent’s son and daughter, Homer Laughlin and Guendolyn (or Guendolen) Virginia Laughlin. On August 1,1921, Homer Laughlin and Ella West entered into a written agreement providing in part as follows:

I, Ella West, in consideration of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) in band paid to me, and in further consideration of an assignment of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) per month of the rent to be paid by the lessee of the ground floor of tbe Laughlin Building, and in further consideration of the assumption of Homer Laughlin, Jr. to pay me the said sum of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) per month during the remainder of my natural life, do hereby release the said Homer Laughlin, Jr., as Trustee, Guendolen V. Laughlin, and all of the property comprising the estate of Homer Laughlin, deceased, late of Los Angeles, California, from the payment of the annuity provided for in the will and decree of distribution in the estate of said Homer Laughlin, hereby releasing absolutely any claim of every character either against said persons or the property of said estate, the said lessee having recognized the said assignment and having agreed to pay to me the said sum monthly of the rent due and payable to the said Laughlin for the said ground floor of said building.

The purpose of this agreement was to obtain her consent to the distribution of the estate, which was made thereafter in due course, pursuant to the court decree.

The above mentioned Laughlin Building is located at No. 315 South Broadway, Los Angeles, California. From about August 1, 1921, it was the property of Homer Laughlin. He acquired a one-half interest in the building as a devisee under his father’s will and purchased the other half from his sister, Guendolyn, the funds for such purpose being obtained by the mortgagfi'on such building to the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. The Laughlin Building is a part of Homer Laughlin’s estate, which has been in process of administration in the Superior Court of the State of California in and for the County of Los Angeles since about February 4,1933, on which date the will was duly admitted to probate. In May 1933, a dispute having arisen between Ella West and the estate of Homer Laughlin as to her rights under the agreement of August 1,1921, a suit for declaratory relief was brought in the Superior Court of the State of California in and for the County of Los Angeles. On June 28,1933, the court rendered its judgment against Beach D. Lyon and Beach D. Lyon, as administrator c. t. a. of the estate of Homer Laughlin, deceased, which judgment provided in part as follows:

* * * on the 1st day of August, 1921, Homer LaughUn assigned to the plaintiff Ella West One Hundred ($100) Dollars of the monthly rental due or to become due from the lessee of the ground floor of the Laughlin Building, which sum was to be paid to the plaintiff Ella West each month during the remainder of her natural life; that from and after said 1st day of August, 1921, Homer Laughlin had no right, title, or interest in and to said sum of One Hundred ($100) Dollars so assigned to this plaintiff; that the defendants Beach D. Lyon, and Beach D. Lyon as Administrator 'with the Will annexed of the estate of Homer Laughlin, have no right, title, or interest in and to the said sum of One Hundred ($100) Dollars of the monthly rental due or to become due from the lessee of the ground floor of the Laughlin Building * * *

On July 7, 1933, the court made a further judgment in this suit, determining the issues between plaintiff and the remaining defendants and reciting in part as follows:

It Is Ordered, Adjudged and Decreed that on the 1st day of August, 1921, Homer Laughlin for valuable consideration assigned to the plaintiff herein, Ella West, for the remainder of her natural life, the sum of $100.00 per month, said sum to be paid from the rent due from the tenant in possession of the ground floor of the Laughlin Building;
And It Is Further Ordered, Adjudged and Decreed that defendant Grand Central Public Market, Inc., be and it is hereby ordered and authorized to pay to this plaintiff the sum of $100.00 per month during the natural life of said plaintiff so long as said Grand Central Public Market, Inc., remains in possession of the ground floor of the Laughlin Building, or so long as it is obligated on any lease of the ground floor of the Laughlin Building.

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Burkle v. Commissioner
1986 T.C. Memo. 394 (U.S. Tax Court, 1986)
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22 T.C. 83 (U.S. Tax Court, 1954)
Estate of Edwin F. Borden v. Commissioner
9 T.C.M. 630 (U.S. Tax Court, 1950)
Laughlin v. Commissioner
8 T.C. 33 (U.S. Tax Court, 1947)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
8 T.C. 33, 1947 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 317, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/laughlin-v-commissioner-tax-1947.