Schultz v. Commissioner

59 T.C. No. 55, 59 T.C. 559, 1973 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 183
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedJanuary 22, 1973
DocketDocket Nos. 1830-71, 1831-71, 1832-71, 1833-71, 1834-71
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 59 T.C. No. 55 (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, 59 T.C. No. 55, 59 T.C. 559, 1973 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 183 (tax 1973).

Opinion

Withev, Judge:

In these consolidated cases tbe respondent determined tbe following Federal income tax deficiencies and additions to tax under section 6651(a) of tbe Internal Revenue Code of 1954 for the taxable year 1962 as follows:

Petitioner Docket No. Deficiency Addition to tax see. 6651(a)

Mortimer Schultz and Rosanna Schultz. 1830-71 $63,039.28 ...

Roger Schultz. 1831-71 10,287.67 $2,571.92

Patricia Schultz... 1832-71 10,287.67 2,571.92

Karen Schultz. 1833-71 10,287.67 2,571.92

Michael Schultz-. 1834-71 10,287.67 2,571.92

The issues presented for our consideration in docket No. 1830-71 are:

(1) Whether a capital gain of $213,000 arising from a sale of stock consummated in the taxable year 1962 is taxable in that year to the petitioners, irrespective of the fact that in a subsequent taxable year the sale was challenged and the husband-petitioner was required to make some restitution of the sales proceeds.

(2) Whether two checks received on May 3,1962, and May 7,1962, in the respective amounts of $5,000 and $13,575 represent ordinary income not reported in petitioners’ 1962 return.

The parties have stipulated that the transaction giving rise to the capital gain issue was intended as a valid sale. Therefore, respondent concedes the alternative issue raised in the statutory notice of deficiency which determined that in the event the Court determines that there was no substance to the sale of stock, petitioners realized ordinary income from forgiveness of indebtedness.

Roger Schultz, docket No. 1831-71; Patricia Schultz, docket No. 183%-71; Katren Schultz, docket No. 1833-71; Michael Schultz, docket No. 1834-71

These dockets represent protective positions taken by respondent regarding the sale of the above-mentioned stock being taxed to petitioners in docket No. 1830-71. The parties have stipulated that petitioners in docket Nos. 1831-71, 1832-71, 1833-71, and 1834-71 were nominees of petitioner-husband who was the beneficial owner of the stock. By reason of such stipulation, respondent concedes that no deficiencies in tax or additions to tax are due from the petitioners in docket Nos. 1831-71,1832-71,1833-71, and 1834-71, provided we find the gain taxable to petitioners in docket No. 1830-71.

BINDINGS OP PACT

The petitioners in docket No. 1830-71 are Mortimer L. and Rosanna Schultz, husband and wife. The petitioners in dockets Nos. 1831-71, 1832-71, 1833-71, and 1834-71 are Roger Schultz, Patricia Schultz, Karen Schultz, and Michael Schultz (hereinafter children) all of whom are children of Mortimer and Rosanna and all of whom were minors during the years involved herein.

The legal residence of all petitioners at the time the petitions were filed was Plainfield, N.J.

Mortimer and Rosanna filed a joint cash basis income tax return for the taxable year 1962 with the director of internal revenue, Newark, N.J.

During the taxable year 1962, Mortimer was engaged in the real estate business, primarily in the organization and management of limited partnerships which were formed to acquire shopping centers and other commercial properties.

During the taxable year 1962, Mortimer was president of and a stockholder in Office Buildings of America, Inc. (hereinafter sometimes referred to as OBA). In addition, on December 31, 1962, he owned both First Jersey Servicing Co., a sole proprietorship (hereinafter proprietorship), and substantially all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of First Jersey Securities Corp. (hereinafter sometimes called FJS).

During 1962, the proprietorship was engaged in the business of providing management services to the limited partnerships referred to hereinabove.

On December 31,1962, OBA issued a check payable to Rosanna, as nominee for Mortimer, in the amount of $270,500. At the same time, Mortimer issued a check to OBA in the amount of $270,422.87 which was credited on the OBA books against loans due to OBA from him. Through arrangements made with the bank by the controller of OBA, the two checks were cleared simultaneously in accordance with the agreement of the parties.

The $270,500 payment to Mortimer was part of the consideration in a transaction wherein OBA purchased from Mortimer all of his stock in FJS and, simultaneously, FJS purchased the assets of Mortimer’s proprietorship, including the management contracts. The simultaneous purchases were duly and timely approved by appropriate action of the board of directors and stockholders of OBA and FJS.

It was at ail times the intent of Mortimer, OBA, and FJS that the purchases would be consummated through the above-described exchange of checks in order to accomplish a reduction in Mortimer’s indebtedness to OBA.

The total sales price for the FJS stock was $714,800. The consideration paid by OBA for such stock was $214,000 in cash (which was immediately applied as above described in reduction of Mortimer’s indebtedness) plus installment notes in the total amount of $500,800.

The total sales price of the proprietorship was $235,000. The consideration paid by FJS was $56,500 in cash (which was immediately applied as above described in reduction of Mortimer’s indebtedness) plus installment notes in the total amount of $178,500.

Respondent determined that Mortimer’s cost basis for the FJS stock was $1,000. This determination was not disputed by petitioner.

A dispute developed several months after the sale of the FJS stock was effected which led to the filing of a petition in bankruptcy for OBA. The corporation was adjudicated a bankrupt on September 23, 1963.

Some of the notes issued by OBA and FJS were paid, all were subsequently canceled, and, for purposes of computing Mortimer’s capital gain on both sales, were determined by the respondent to have no fair market value as of December 31,1962. This determination was not disputed by petitioner.

Subsequent to the bankruptcy, the court ordered Mortimer to repay the $270,500 paid by OBA to Hosanna, loss a credit of $50,945.48. The credit represented the book value of the FJS stock transferred by Mortimer to OBA on December 31, 1962, which was already in the possession of the trustee in bankruptcy.

Petitioners filed their joint Federal income tax return for the taxable year 1962 on October 15, 1963. This return does not disclose any taxable income realized from petitioner’s sale of the FJS stock to OBA on December 31,1962.

The sale of the proprietorship, First Jersey Servicing Co., was reported on Schedule D of petitioners’ 1962 return and is not an issue herein.

OBA issued checks payable to Mortimer on May 3,1962, and May 7, 1962, in the respective amounts of $5,000 and $13,575. The proceeds were used by Mortimer for personal business or investment purposes. The two checks were not reported as income in petitioners’ 1962 income tax return.

ULTIMATE FINDINGS

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Schultz v. Commissioner
59 T.C. No. 55 (U.S. Tax Court, 1973)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
59 T.C. No. 55, 59 T.C. 559, 1973 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 183, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/schultz-v-commissioner-tax-1973.