Morgan v. Commissioner

42 T.C. 1080, 1964 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 42
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedSeptember 21, 1964
DocketDocket Nos. 1793-62, 1794-62, 3038-62
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 42 T.C. 1080 (Morgan 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
Morgan v. Commissioner, 42 T.C. 1080, 1964 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 42 (tax 1964).

Opinion

Bruce, Judge:

The respondent determined deficiencies in gift tax and income tax for the calendar years 1958 and 1959 as follows:

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The cases were consolidated. The principal issue arises from the disallowance of deductions and exclusions claimed on the gift tax and income tax returns for contributions of a 20-year income interest to a trust for charitable, religious, and educational purposes.

A second issue, arising in the computation of the specific exemption allowable, involves the question whether a gift to a trust created in 1955 was the gift of a future interest. This issue is before the Court for the purpose of determining the amount of specific exemption available and consequently the amount of the gift tax liability of petitioner Elise McK. Morgan for the year 1958. See sec. 2504,1.R.C. 1954, and Gift Tax Regs., sec. 25.2504-1 (d). Some of the facts are stipulated.

FINDINGS OK PACT

The stipulations of facts and the exhibits attached thereto are incorporated herein by this reference.

Petitioners are husband and wife who reside in Laurinburg, N.C. Their gift tax returns and joint income tax returns for the years 1958 and 1959 were filed with -the district director of internal revenue at Greensboro, N.C.

Edinburgh Corp., hereinafter referred to as Edinburgh, was incorporated under the laws of North Carolina in 1939 and is engaged in the business of manufacturing and selling textile and related products at Laurinburg, N.C.

Upon the organization of Edinburgh, $50,000 in common stock was issued. On January 14,1955, $450,000 additional common stock was issued as a stock dividend, and $450,000 of retained earnings was capitalized. On December 20, 1958, Edinburgh’s authorized capital was increased to $1 million, divided into 4,000 shares of 5-percent noncumulative preferred stock, 600 shares of class A common stock with voting rights, and 5,400 shares of class B common stock without voting rights.

On December 30, 1958, as a result of the recapitalization and in order to provide for the exchange of old stock for new stock, $300,000 was transferred from the surplus account to the capital account, increasing the capital to $800,000.

On December 30, 1958, new stock was issued in exchange for the old stock as follows:

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In the fiscal years ended August 31 in 1949 through 1959 Edinburgh paid the following dividends:

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Edinburgh paid no dividends in the fiscal years ended in 1956 through 1959.

Edinburgh had net earnings, after income taxes, for the taxable years ended August 31, as follows:

1952 _ $39,353.29
1953 _ 49,516.20
1954 _ 64,868.00
1955 _1_ 82,857.86
1956 _ 1(15,769.13)
1957 _ 9,118.02
1958 _'_ 57,216.96
1959 _ 32,456.97

Edinburgh had accumulated surplus in the following amounts at the end of the fiscal years ended in 1949 through 1959:

Year ended Aug. 31— Total surplus
1949 _:_ $483,797.56
1950 _ 537,764.13
1951 _ 581,991.24
1952 _ 603, 494. 53
■1953 _ 650,160.73
1954 _ 712,178.73
1955 _ 293,611.59
1956 _ 277,842.46
1957 _ 294,805.38
1958 _ 352,022.34
1959 _ 85,064.79

The directors of Edinburgh are Edwin Morgan and Elise McK. Morgan, the petitioners, James L. Morgan and M. Morrison Morgan, sons of the petitioners, and J. C. McKinnon.

In May 1949 a trust known as the Morgan Trust for Charity,-Religion and Education was created by a trust instrument between Edwin Morgan, as grantor, and Edwin Morgan, Elise McKinnon Morgan, J ames L. Morgan, and M. Morrison Morgan, as trustees. This trust, hereinafter referred to as the Morgan Charitable Trust, is an organization exempt under section 101(6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1939 and section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 from income tax. Contributions to this trust are deductible for income tax purposes to the extent provided in section 170, and for gift tax purposes as provided in section 2522(a) (2), of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.

On July 1, 1955, Elise McKinnon Morgan created an irrevocable trust with property consisting of interests in a partnership. James L. Morgan is the trustee. The trust agreement provides, in part:

The Trustee shall collect, receive, and receipt for all income, gains and profits from and upon the trust property, and after deducting all taxes, fees and expenses paid or incurred in the administration of the trust, shall apply and pay over the net income and also the principal of the trust estate in the following manner:
(a) One-third (%) of the net income shall be paid in annual or more frequent installments, preferably once every three months, to Bessie Morgan Gibson so long as she lives.
(b) One-third (%) of the net income shall be paid in annual or more frequent installments, preferably once every three months, to Ruth Mc-Kinnon Morgan so long as she lives.
(c) One-third (%) of the net income may be used or expended for the benefit of Carol Frances Gibson, the daughter of J. Lauder .and Lucy Freeman Gibson, without having to make such payments through a guardian. The Trustee, in his sole discretion, may make such disbursements of this income as wül best provide for the health, comfort, maintenance and education of Carol Frances Gibson so long as she lives; any income not so expended in any year may be accumulated for her needs in later years, and shall be held as a reserve fund for her benefit.
(d) After the death of any one of the beneficiaries, the deceased beneficiary’s share of the income shall be held in a reserve fund, which at no time shall exceed the Grantor’s original contribution of Thirty-Seven Thousand Five Hundred ($37,500.00) Dollars, and from which the Trustee, in his sole discretion, may make such distributions to or for the benefit of the surviving beneficiary or beneficiaries as their needs may suggest, or to the Morgan Foundation.

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Jones v. United States
252 F. Supp. 256 (N.D. Ohio, 1966)
Morgan v. Commissioner
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Darling v. Commissioner
43 T.C. 520 (U.S. Tax Court, 1965)
Morgan v. Commissioner
42 T.C. 1080 (U.S. Tax Court, 1964)

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Bluebook (online)
42 T.C. 1080, 1964 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 42, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/morgan-v-commissioner-tax-1964.