Rogers v. Commissioner

16 B.T.A. 368, 1929 BTA LEXIS 2601
United States Board of Tax Appeals·Decided May 2, 1929·No. Docket No. 29542.·Published·Cited by 6 cases

Opinion

[370]*370OPINION.

Milliken:

The proper determination of this case requires a construction of the will and codicil of John D. Rogers, deceased, and the application of section 219 of the Revenue Acts of 1921 and 1924 to the facts.

By the terms of his will the testator created a trust and empowered the trustee to operate and manage his plantation and, after paying all costs and expenses, including taxes and trustee’s compensation, to pay over the remainder annually to the named beneficiaries. Under this provision of the will alone the entire balance of the year’s revenues after the payment of the expenses above specified would have been distributable to the beneficiaries and would have been allowable as a deduction to the trustee, whether actually distributed or not. But in the codicil to his will, which must be read and construed with the original will, testator made this important addition: “ Furthermore, until sale of plantation, the trustee shall retain out of proceeds of each year’s crop sufficient to operate plantation the following year.”

When the original will is construed in connection with this codicil, as it must be, it will read substantially thus: “To control, manage and operate said plantation with power to lease or rent the whole or any part thereof from year to year, and after paying all costs and expenses, including, among other things, the cost of keeping up and maintaining improvements and equipment on said plantation and taxes, and after deducting reasonable compensation (not to exceed $500 per annum) to said company for its services hereunder and, until sale of plantation after retaining out of proceeds of each year’s [371]*371crop sufficient to operate the plantation the following year, to pay over annually one-half of the rents and revenues,” etc.

Under the codicil a discretion is vested in the trustee as to the amount he shall retain, but it is his positive duty to retain what is deemed necessary for the purpose indicated, and when said sum is set aside and retained it remains a part of and subject to the terms and operation of the trust. It is in no sense income of the beneficiaries, they are not entitled to it, and it is not distributable to them as such, nor was it actually so distributed.

Section 219 of the Revenue Act of 1921 provides in part as follows:

(a) That the tax imposed by sections 210 and 211 shall apply to the income of estates or of any kind of property held in trust, including—
(1) Income received by estates of deceased persons during the period of administration or settlement of the estate;
(2) Income accumulated in trust for the benefit of unborn or unascertained persons or persons with contingent interests;
(3) Income held for future distribution under the terms of the will or trust; and
(4) Income which is to be distributed to the beneficiaries periodically, whether or not at regular intervals, and the income collected by a guardian of an infant to be held or distributed as the court may direct.
(b) The fiduciary shall be responsible for making the return of income for the estate or trust for which he acts. The net income of the estate or trust shall be computed in the same manner and on the same basis as provided in section 212, except that (in lieu of the deduction authorized by paragraph (11) of subdivision (a) of section 214) there shall also be allowed as a deduction, without limitation, any part of the gross income which, pursuant to the terms of the will or deed creating the trust, is during the taxable year paid or permanently set aside for the purposes and in the manner specified in paragraph (11) of subdivision (a) of section 214. In cases in which there is any income of the class described in paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of this section the fiduciary shall include in the return a statement of the income of the estate or trust, which, pursuant to the instrument or order governing the distribution, is distributable to each oeneficiary, whether or not distributed before the close of the taxable year for which the return is made.
(c) In cases under paragraphs (1), (2), or (3) of subdivision (a) or in any other case within subdivision (a) of this section except paragraph. 4 thereof the tax shall be imposed upon the net income of the estate or trust and shall be paid by the fiduciary, except that in determining the net income of the estate of any deceased person during the period of administration, or settlement there may be deducted the amount of any income properly paid or credited to any legatee, heir, or other beneficiary. In such cases the estate or trust shall, for the purpose of normal tax, be allowed the same credits as are allowed to single persons under section 216.
(d) In cases under paragraph (4) of subdivision (a), and in the case of any income of an estate during the period of administration or settlement permitted by subdivision (c) to be deducted from the net income upon which tax is to be paid by the fiduciary, the tax shall not be paid by the fiduciary, but there shall be included in computing the net income of each beneficiary that part of the income of the estate or trust for its taxable year which, pur[372]*372suant to the instrument or order governing the distribution, is distributable to such beneficiary, whether distributed or not, or, if his taxable year is different from that of the estate or trust, then there shall be included in comimting his net income his distributive share of the income of the estate or trust for its taxable year ending within the taxable year of the beneficiary. * * *

Section 219 of the Revenue Act of 1924 provides in part as follows:

(a) The tax imposed by parts I and II of this title shall apply to the income of estates or of any kind of property held in trust, including—
(1) Income accumulated in trust for the benefit of unborn or unascertained persons or persons with contingent interests, and income accumulated or held for future distribution under the terms of the will or trust;
(2). Income which is to be distributed currently by the fiduciary to the beneficiaries, and income collected by a guardian of an infant which is to be held or distributed as the court may direct;
(3) Income received by estates of deceased persons during the period of administration or settlement of the estate; and
(4) Income which, in the discretion of the fiduciary, may be either distributed to the beneficiaries or accumulated.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in subdivisions (g) and (h), the tax shall be computed upon the net income of the estate or trust, and shall be paid by the fiduciary. The net income of the estate or trust shall be computed in the same manner and on the same basis as provided in section 212, except that—
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Rogers v. Commissioner, 16 B.T.A. 368, 1929 BTA LEXIS 2601 (bta 1929).

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Rogers v. Commissioner
16 B.T.A. 368 (Board of Tax Appeals, 1929)