Lustgarten v. Commissioner

71 T.C. 303, 1978 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 19
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedNovember 30, 1978
DocketDocket No. 9083-76
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 71 T.C. 303 (Lustgarten 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
Lustgarten v. Commissioner, 71 T.C. 303, 1978 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 19 (tax 1978).

Opinion

Sterrett, Judge:

Respondent, on July 23, 1976, issued a statutory notice in which he determined a deficiency in petitioners’ Federal income tax for the calendar year 1971 in the amount of $346,075. After concessions by the parties, the sole issue remaining for our determination is whether petitioners are entitled to report the gain resulting from the sale of 42,000 shares of Cooper Laboratories, Inc., common stock on the installment basis under section 453,1.R.C. 1954.

FINDINGS OF FACT

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

Petitioners Paul G. Lustgarten and Jacqueline Lustgarten, husband and wife, resided in Miami Beach, Fla., at the time the petition herein was filed. Petitioners filed their Federal income tax return for their taxable year 1971 with the Director of the Internal Revenue Service Center, Chamblee, Ga. Petitioners have two children, Bruce A. Lustgarten (hereinafter Bruce) and Elaine L. Goldenberg (hereinafter Elaine). Jacqueline Lustgar-ten is a party to this action only because she joined in the filing of the return and, accordingly, Paul G. Lustgarten will hereinafter be referred to as petitioner.

On September 15, 1967, petitioner received 70,000 shares of Cooper Laboratories, Inc. (hereinafter Cooper), common stock in connection with the merger of Wynne Pharmaceuticals, Inc., with Cooper. Thereafter, but prior to the declaration of a two-for-one split, petitioner sold 27,700 shares. After the split, but prior to November 15,1971, he owned 67,600 shares of the stock.

Petitioner had been an employee of Vitamix Pharmaceuticals which sold out to Cooper sometime around 1967 or 1968. He continued to be employed by Cooper until his employment terminated during 1971. At this time, Cooper stock represented a substantial portion of petitioner’s assets. This stock had paid one stock dividend, but no cash dividends. It was lettered stock, subject to restrictions on transfer.

On November 15, 1971, petitioner entered into an agreement with Bruce with respect to the sale of 42,000 shares of Cooper common stock. The agreement, entitled “Installment Sales Contract,” provided for the sale of Cooper stock to Bruce in exchange for $1,017,590.69. The sales price was payable in 120 monthly installments of $10,302.61 which amount included principal and interest at 4 percent per annum on the unpaid balance. The first payment was due January 1, 1972, with the remaining payments due on the first day of each successive month. Paragraph three of the agreement provided as follows:

3. No recourse or personal liability shall at any time be had under this contract against BRUCE, his heirs, Executors, administrators or assigns, for the payment of the purchase price. In lieu of such personal liability, BRUCE agrees as follows:
a. To evidence the amount of the purchase price by executing and delivering to Paul a Promissory note in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.
b. To assure payment of the purchase price by purchasing $1,017,590.69 worth of shares of Sigma Investment Shares, Inc. concurrently with the execution of this contract, and transferring and delivering the same to American Guaranty & Trust Company as escrow agent under the provisions of an Escrow Agreement dated concurrently herewith, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit B.

The installment note and escrow agreement were also dated November 15,1971. The escrow agreement specifically required Bruce to purchase and then transfer $1,017,590.69 worth of Sigma Investment Shares, Inc. (hereinafter Sigma), to American Guaranty & Trust Co. as escrow agent. Such shares in the stated amount of 89,322 were to be purchased and transferred concurrently with the execution of the subject agreement. Bruce’s net worth in 1971 was not sufficient to purchase the stipulated amount of Sigma shares.

The escrow agreement further provided that the monthly payment to petitioner of $10,302.61 dictated by the “Installment Sales Contract” and “Promissory Note” was to be paid out of the escrow fund from the “income dividends, capital gains distributions, and/or from the proceeds of liquidation” of such shares. The agreement gave Bruce the voting rights over the shares. Although the agreement provided that Bruce was to be liable for administrative fees, it provided further that such fees were to be paid out of the escrow fund.

On November 15,1971, in accordance with paragraph three of the purported installment sales contract, Bruce instructed his stockbroker to sell the 42,000 shares of Cooper common stock and to use the entire proceeds to purchase $1,017,590.69 worth of shares of Sigma, a mutual fund. The Cooper stock was sold on the following dates:

Date Number of shares
11/17/71. 2,000
11/18/71. 1,300
12/1/71. 38,700

Bruce acquired Sigma shares as follows:

Date Number of shares
11/18/71. 7,347
12/1/71. 81,975

On November 15, 1971, petitioner executed an indenture of trust in which Elaine was named the primary beneficiary, and Bruce, and Benjamin Lustgarten, petitioner’s brother, were appointed cotrustees. The only property transferred by petitioner to the trustees was $10. From November 15,1971, to the date the supplemental stipulation was executed, March 1, 1978, petitioner did not make additions to the principal of the trust. Benjamin Lustgarten died approximately 2 years before the trial of this case. As of that time, no successor trustee was appointed either by petitioner in accordance with subparagraph B of paragraph VI of the trust indenture or by Bruce in accordance with paragraph XIII of such indenture of trust. The trust was irrevocable.

On November 15, 1971, Bruce, individually and as trustee under the indenture of trust of the same date, executed an agreement entitled “Joint Venture Agreement.” This agreement made reference to the installment sales contract and stated that the purpose of such agreement was to set forth and define their rights and obligations in connection with such transactions. The record is void with respect to the activities undertaken pursuant to this agreement.

As a result of Bruce’s entering into this purported installment sales contract with petitioner and the joint venture with the trust set up for Elaine, the following items appeared on Bruce’s Federal income tax return:

Year Item Amount
1972 Dividends. $10,996.00
Ordinary losses from joint venture (utilized on Bruce’s return). 19,606.00
Long-term capital gains after sec. 1202 deduction. 14,907.00
Short-term capital gains. 2,457.00
1973 Dividends. 11,908.86

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Lustgarten v. Commissioner
71 T.C. 303 (U.S. Tax Court, 1978)

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Bluebook (online)
71 T.C. 303, 1978 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 19, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lustgarten-v-commissioner-tax-1978.