Schultz v. Commissioner

50 T.C. 688, 1968 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 91
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedJuly 31, 1968
DocketDocket No. 4947-66
StatusPublished
Cited by29 cases

This text of 50 T.C. 688 (Schultz 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
Schultz v. Commissioner, 50 T.C. 688, 1968 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 91 (tax 1968).

Opinions

TanNenwald, Judge:

Respondent determined deficiencies in the joint Federal income taxes of petitioners in the amounts of $32,905.63 and $30,933.35 for the taxable years 1962 and 1963, respectively. After certain concessions by respondent, the following questions remain for our consideration: (1) Whether petitioners may take deductions in 1962 and 1963 for storage charges, insurance, and taxes in connection with the purchase and holding of bulk bourbon whisky,- and (2) whether petitioners may deduct certain legal fees paid in 1962.

FINDINGS OF FACT

Some of tlie facts bave been stipulated and are found accordingly. Those facts and the exhibits attached thereto are incorporated herein by this reference.

Petitioners are husband and wife and had their legal residence in Essex Fells, N.J., at the time the petition herein was filed. They filed timely joint Federal income tax returns on a cash basis for the taxable years 1962 and 1963 with the district director of internal revenue, Newark, N.J. Margaret F. Schultz is a petitioner herein and a party to this proceeding only by reason of having filed a joint return with her husband, George L. Schultz (hereinafter referred to as petitioner).

Petitioner is chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Shulton, Inc., a publicly held corporation engaged in the business of manufacturing toiletry and cosmetic items. He has been with Shulton for over 20 years and devotes full working time to his duties there.

Issue 1. Costs Incident to Purchase of Bulk "Whisky

On November 19, 1962, petitioner purchased from T. W. Samuels Distillery, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as Samuels), warehouse receipts evidencing the ownership of 1,000 barrels of “Fall 1961” bulk whisky and 1,000 barrels of “Spring 1962” bulk whisky. To cover the aggregate purchase price of $134,525.07, petitioner paid Samuels $25,000 in cash, executing and delivering a 6-percent negotiable promissory note for the balance of $109,525.07. On the same day, he delivered to Samuels the warehouse receipts evidencing his ownership of the 2,000 barrels as collateral for the note and, in addition, paid Samuels $26,286, which sum represented interest on the promissory note for the period November 19, 1962, to November 19, 1966. Petitioner claimed a deduction for such interest in determining his taxable income for the taxable year 1962, which has not been disallowed by respondent.

Also on November 19,1962, petitioner made the following payments to Samuels incident to the whisky purchased: (1) $8,000 for estimated Kentucky ad valorem taxes representing State, county, and school taxes on the bulk whisky from November 19,1962, to December 31,1966, based on current assessments and tax rates; (2) $24,000, representing the cost of storing the bulk whisky in a bonded warehouse owned by Samuels for the period November 19,1962, to November 19, 1966; and (3) $2,800, representing the cost of insuring the bulk whisky against loss for the period November 19, 1962, to November 19, 1966. The storage costs were 25 cents per barrel per month, the customary storage rate charged by Samuels. Casualty insurance premiums amounted to 35 cents per barrel per year, which, cost was very close to the premiums regularly charged Samuels by its insurance carrier.

On November 6, 1963, petitioner purchased from Samuels warehouse receipts evidencing the ownership of 1,250 barrels of “Spring 1962” bulk whisky and 750 barrels of “Fall 1963” bulk whisky. Petitioner paid $25,000 in cash towards the aggregate purchase price of $136,927.27, executing and delivering a 6-percent negotiable promissory note due November 6,1967, for the balance of $111,927.27. On the same day, the warehouse receipts were delivered to Samuels as collateral for the note, and interest of $26,862.54, covering the period November 6,1963, to November 6,1967, was paid. Petitioner claimed a deduction for such interest expense in determining his taxable income for the taxable year 1963, which has not been disallowed by respondent.

Also on November 6, 1963, petitioner made the following payments to Samuels, identical to those made incident to the purchase on November 19,1962:

Kentucky ad valorem taxes-$8,000
Storage_ 24,000
Insurance_ 2, 800

The estimated tax payments covered the period November 6, 1963, to December 31, 1967, and the storage and insurance costs covered the period November 6,1963, to November 6,1967.

Petitioner at no time discussed any of the terms and conditions or arrangements respecting the foregoing transactions with any representative of Samuels. All discussions were carried on by petitioner’s accountant, who, together with petitioner’s attorney, advised petitioner regarding the transactions, including the tax consequences thereof.

At the time of the foregoing transactions, petitioner anticipated that he would probably hold each lot of whisky purchased for 4 years because he understood that to be the normal aging period.

In 1962 and 1963, petitioner claimed deductions for those amounts paid Samuels to cover State taxes, storage, and insurance costs. No part of such deductions was allowed by respondent.

Subject to a right of first refusal requiring petitioner to first offer his bulk whisky to Samuels at the “prevailing market price,” petitioner was free at any time to sell his whisky in the open market for the highest price he could obtain. The purchase agreement also provided that, in the event Samuels chose not to exercise its right to repurchase and the whisky was ultimately sold to an outsider—

the warehouse receipts representing such whiskey shall, upon delivery to such outsider, be so restricted that no one other than the seller [i.e., Samuels] may use the name T. W. Samuels Distillery, Inc. in any way on the bottled goods which may be produced from such bulk whiskey, nor to have such whiskey identified by any of tbe brand names owned by T. W. Samuels Distillery or Old Jordan Distillery.

Petitioner and Samuels had no agreement or understanding at any time prior to the middle of 1965 that Samuels would repurchase any of the whisky from petitioner. Petitioner had no facilities for bottling-whisky himself.

On August 20, 1965, Samuels purchased petitioner’s 4,000 barrels of bulk whisky in order to fill its inventory shortages in the particular ages of whisky held by petitioner and which it required at that time for bottling purposes. The aggregate sales price paid by Samuels was $381,460.93, which sum included unexpired prepaid costs as follows:

tm ms
Interest_$8, 208. 90 $14, 863. 94
Storage___ 7, 495. 00 13, 280. 00
Insurance_ 874. 42 1, 549. 33
Taxes__-__ 2, 649. 93 4, 553. 99

Taking into account all expenditures (including interests), petitioner sustained an economic loss of $12,739.95 on purchase, holding, and ultimate sale of the whisky.

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Schultz v. Commissioner
50 T.C. 688 (U.S. Tax Court, 1968)

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Bluebook (online)
50 T.C. 688, 1968 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 91, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/schultz-v-commissioner-tax-1968.