Rubin v. Commissioner

51 T.C. 251, 1968 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 26
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedNovember 14, 1968
DocketDocket No. 2075-66
StatusPublished
Cited by52 cases

This text of 51 T.C. 251 (Rubin 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
Rubin v. Commissioner, 51 T.C. 251, 1968 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 26 (tax 1968).

Opinion

Fay, Judge:

Respondent determined deficiencies of $22,521.72 and $15,762.67 in petitioners’ income tax for the taxable years 1960 and 1961, respectively. By amendment to his answer, respondent requested an increase of $9,541.33 in the deficiency for the taxable year 1961. Respondent concedes that the deficiency determined for the taxable year 1960 should be reduced by $16,549.68. The deficiencies presently asserted, therefore, are $5,872.041 and $25,304 for the taxable years 1960 and 1961, respectively.

Prior to the trial herein, petitioners conceded one of the issues raised by the pleadings. The only substantive issue remaining is whether petitioners are taxable on the net income which Park International, Inc., received from Dorman Mills, Inc., as fees for management services rendered by petitioner Richard Rubin under a contract between the two corporations. On this issue, respondent is proceeding under section 612 and, alternatively, under section 482. In addition to the substantive issue, there are procedural issues concerning the burden of proof and the right of respondent to proceed under section 482.

FINDINGS OP PACT

Some of the facts were stipulated. The stipulation of facts, together with the exhibits attached thereto, is incorporated herein by this reference.

Richard Rubin and Helene Rubin are husband and wife. They filed Federal joint income tax returns on the cash method, calendar year basis for the taxable years 1960 and 1961 with the district director of internal revenue, Brooklyn, New York. They were legal residents of Scarsdale, N.Y., when they filed the petition in this case. Helene Rubin is a petitioner only because she filed joint returns with her husband. Richard Rubin is hereinafter referred to as Richard or petitioner.

Richard graduated from Brown University in 1951, having majored in economics. Upon graduation he went to work for Rubin Bros., Inc. (hereinafter referred to as Rubin Bros.), a family company.

Rubin Bros, was incorporated in New York in the early 1940’s. It was the successor to a partnership with a similar name. The original shareholders of Rubin Bros, were George, Sam, and Mack Rubin, who were also the partners of the terminating partnership. Mack Rubin was the father of William Rubin (hereinafter referred to as William), Larry Rubin (hereinafter referred to as Larry), and Richard. George Rubin and Sam Rubin were uncles of Richard, William, and Larry.

During the years relevant herein, the business of Rubin Bros, was the purchase and resale of wool waste. Rubin Bros, purchased wool waste throughout the world, doing 80 to 90 percent of its purchasing in Europe. It then paid another concern, Steiner & Co.,3 to reprocess the wool waste into fiber. Rubin Bros, then sold the fiber to textile mills throughout the country.4

During the years here in issue, Eubin Bros, had three wholly owned subsidiaries, Wythe Fiber Gorp. (hereinafter referred-to as Wythe), Milford Processing Co., Inc. (hereinafter referred to as Milford), and Delaware Wool Co. Delaware Wool Co. was a broker of virgin-wool fiber. Wythe purchased orlon and nylon waste and paid Milford to reprocess the waste into fiber. Wythe then sold the fiber to textile mills throughout the country.

After about a year in the fiber business, Eichard began to assume greater responsibility in Eubin Bros. During the fiscal year ended July 31, 1952, he was elected a vice president of Eubin Bros., which office he continued to hold through the fiscal year ended July 31,1959. He served as president of Milford from 1954 to 1955.

Dorman Mills, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as Dorman Mills), was incorporated in West Virginia on February 9, 1927. It has always been a manufacturer of textile fabrics. It was organized at the behest of members of the Dorman family. JSTo member of the Dorman family is related to any member of the Eubin family.

Beginning in 1941 and continuing through the years in issue, Dor-man Mills was a customer of Eubin Bros. Dorman Mills purchased approximately 50 percent of its fiber requirements from Eubin Bros. Sales to Dorman Mills accounted for approximately 10 percent of the annual wool fiber sales of Eubin Bros.

For a number of years through 1957, Dorman Mills operated on a continuously unprofitable basis. As an employee and officer of Eubin Bros., a creditor and supplier of Dorman Mills, Eichard was contemporaneously aware of the unprofitable operating situation at Dor-man Mills.

During 1956 Dorman Mills owed Eubin Bros, on open account substantial amounts of money ranging up to $60,000 or $70,000. Because of Dorman Mills’ loss record, Eubin Bros, looked upon its Dor-man Mills account with apprehension.

In 1956 Thomas Dorman, the second largest shareholder in Dor-man Mills, died. While administering the Estate of Thomas Dor-man, the executor came to believe that Franklin Dorman, the largest shareholder in and president of Dorman Mills, was doing a poor job of managing the corporation. Because of this belief, the executor of the estate threatened a management fight with Franklin Dorman. When Eubin Bros, learned about these events, it became very concerned about the future of Dorman Mills, both as a debtor and as a long-standing and significant customer.

The Estate of Thomas Dorman owned 2,100 of the 6,000 outstanding shares of Dorman Mills. In order to avert the impending corporate troubles arising because of the animosity between Franklin Dorman and the executor of Thomas Dorman’s Estate, the suggestion was made that the estate sell its Dorman Mills shares. Because of Kubin Bros.’ concern that Dorman Mills could not survive a corporate battle in view of its history of business losses, Rubin Bros, offered to buy one-half of the shares owned by the estate. Accordingly, on August 18, 1956, Rubin Bros, purchased from the estate 1,050 shares of Dorman Mills for $42,000, or $40 per share. The remaining 1,050 shares owned by the estate were simultaneously purchased by C. M. Hoff & Co., Inc. (hereinafter referred to as Hoff), for $42,000. Hoff was the exclusive selling agent for Dorman Mills. Its agency agreement with Dorman Mills, dated August 8, 1956, provided that it would remain exclusive selling agent so long as it owned shares in Dorman Mills.

On August 30, 1956, Richard purchased 7 Dorman Mills shares. On December 6, 1956, he purchased 125 shares. Thus, as of December 1956 the Rubin interests controlled 1,182 of the 6,000 outstanding shares of Dorman Mills. Their block was comprised of Richard’s 132 shares and Rubin Bros.’ 1,050 shares.

On February 25, 1957, Richard, among others, was elected to the board of directors of Dorman Mills.5 In this capacity he represented his interests as well as those of Rubin Bros.

In the spring of 1957, Richard concluded that Dorman Mills required better management and more money. He therefore began exploring different ways of revitalizing its operations.

One of Richard’s ideas was to become president of Dorman Mills, thereby assuming its management. Franklin Dorman rejected this idea, however, when Richard approached him with it.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

First Counsel Capital, Inc.
U.S. Tax Court, 2021
UPS v. Comm'r
1999 T.C. Memo. 268 (U.S. Tax Court, 1999)
Sargent v. Commissioner
93 T.C. No. 48 (U.S. Tax Court, 1989)
Fatland v. Commissioner
1984 T.C. Memo. 489 (U.S. Tax Court, 1984)
Hospital Corp. of America v. Commissioner
81 T.C. No. 31 (U.S. Tax Court, 1983)
Swayze v. Commissioner
1983 T.C. Memo. 168 (U.S. Tax Court, 1983)
Foglesong v. Commissioner
691 F.2d 848 (Seventh Circuit, 1982)
Johnson v. Commissioner
78 T.C. No. 62 (U.S. Tax Court, 1982)
Pacella v. Commissioner
78 T.C. No. 42 (U.S. Tax Court, 1982)
Cloes v. Commissioner
1981 T.C. Memo. 726 (U.S. Tax Court, 1981)
Keller v. Commissioner
77 T.C. 1014 (U.S. Tax Court, 1981)
Achiro v. Commissioner
77 T.C. No. 62 (U.S. Tax Court, 1981)
Roccaforte v. Commissioner
77 T.C. 263 (U.S. Tax Court, 1981)
Ocean Sands Holding Corp. v. Commissioner
1980 T.C. Memo. 423 (U.S. Tax Court, 1980)
Foglesong v. Commissioner
1976 T.C. Memo. 294 (U.S. Tax Court, 1976)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
51 T.C. 251, 1968 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 26, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rubin-v-commissioner-tax-1968.