Seda v. Commissioner

82 T.C. No. 36, 82 T.C. 484, 1984 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 93
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedMarch 19, 1984
DocketDocket No. 21201-82
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 82 T.C. No. 36 (Seda 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
Seda v. Commissioner, 82 T.C. No. 36, 82 T.C. 484, 1984 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 93 (tax 1984).

Opinions

OPINION

Fay, Judge-.

Respondent determined deficiencies in petitioners’ Federal income tax as follows:

Year Deficiency
$22,015 o* t— a> tH
17,801 O CO os t-H

The issues before us are (1) whether the redemption of all petitioners’ stock in a certain corporation was taxable as a dividend distribution under section 3011 or as a long-term capital gain under section 302(a), and (2) whether a certain sum was paid to petitioner LaVerne V. Seda as compensation for his services or as partial payment for his redeemed stock.

The facts have been fully stipulated and are so found.

Petitioners LaVerne V. Seda (Mr. Seda) and LaVerne E. Seda (Mrs. Seda), resided in Denver, Colo., when they filed their petition herein.

On October 15,1957, petitioners organized B & B Supply Co. (herein the company), and, within 2 years after incorporation, they had acquired all of the company’s stock. Mr. Seda was the company’s president and chairman of the board and owned 22,910 shares of the company’s stock. Mrs. Seda was a director, vice president, and secretary and owned 1,010 shares of the company’s stock.

The company was engaged in the business of selling garage doors as a wholesaler in Colorado and Wyoming. It purchased most of the garage doors from Frantz Manufacturing Co. (herein Frantz Co.). In addition to working for the company from approximately 1952 until April 1981, Mr. Seda also worked as a manufacturer’s representative for Frantz Co., earning a 3-percent commission on all garage door sales he made to the company on behalf of Frantz Co.

Because of their declining health, in 1979, petitioners decided to terminate their ownership of the company. Their son James L. Seda (James) had worked for the company since 1973 and was ready to assume ownership and control of the company. On June 30,1979, petitioners entered into a redemption agreement wherein the company redeemed all of petitioners’ stock for $299,000 ($12.50 per share). Pursuant to the redemption agreement, the company also issued 1,000 shares of stock to James for $1,000. Thus, James was the sole shareholder of the company after the redemption. Petitioners resigned from their positions as officers and directors of the company on June 30, 1979.

Prior to signing the redemption agreement, petitioners hired an accountant to advise them with respect to the tax consequences of the redemption. The accountant advised them that in order to achieve long-term capital gain treatment, they would have to terminate their relationship with the company completely. Because of James’ insistence, however, Mr. Seda continued to work for the company after the redemption, and he continued to receive a salary of $1,000 per month. Neither petitioners nor James believed such employment would prevent petitioners from achieving long-term capital gain treatment in connection with the redemption of their stock. In June 1981, immediately after learning that his employment relationship could result in the gain from the redemption of his stock being taxed as ordinary income, Mr. Seda terminated his employment relationship with the company. Mrs. Seda never served as an employee, officer, or director of the company after the redemption.

The company has never paid a dividend, and its retained earnings as of June 30, 1978, were $202,455.

On their returns for the years in issue, petitioners reported the proceeds from the redemption as long-term capital gain. In his notice of deficiency, respondent determined that the proceeds from the redemption were taxable as dividends under section 301 because the redemption was not a complete termination of petitioners’ interest under section 302(b)(3).

The first issue is whether the redemption of all petitioners’ stock in the company is taxable as a dividend distribution under section 301 or as long-term capital gain under section 302(a). Section 302(a) provides that a distribution of property to a shareholder by a corporation in redemption of stock will be treated as a sale or exchange of such stock if the redemption falls within one of four categories enumerated in section 302(b). If the redemption fails to so qualify, it is treated as a dividend distribution to the extent of the corporation’s earnings and profits. See secs. 301 and 302(a).

Section 302(b)(3) provides that a shareholder is entitled to sale or exchange treatment if all his stock in the corporation is redeemed. For purposes of determining whether there has been a complete termination within the meaning of section 302(b)(3), the constructive stock ownership rules of section 318(a) will apply unless the requirements set out in section 302(c)(2)(A) are satisfied. Sec. 302(c)(1). Respondent contends that petitioners failed to effect a complete termination within the meaning of section 302(b)(3) because James’ interest in the company after the redemption is attributable to petitioners pursuant to section 318(a)(1). Petitioners counter that James’ interest is not attributable to them because they satisfied the requirements of section 302(c)(2)(A).

Section 302(c)(2)(A) provides in relevant part as follows:

(A) In the case of a distribution described in subsection (b)(3), section 318(a)(1) shall not apply if—

(i) immediately after the distribution the distributee has no interest in the corporation (including an interest as officer, director, or employee), other than an interest as a creditor,
(ii) the distributee does not acquire any such interest (other than stock acquired by bequest or inheritance) within 10 years from the date of such distribution, and
(iii) the distributee, at such time and in such manner as the Secretary by regulations prescribes, files an agreement to notify the Secretary of any acquisition described in clause (ii) and to retain such records as may be necessary for the application of this paragraph.
[Emphasis added.]

Focusing on the parenthetical language in section 302(c)(2)(A)(i), respondent’s first argument is that petitioners are not entitled to the relief provided by section 302(c)(2)(A) because Mr. Seda remained an employee of the company after the redemption. Petitioners argue, however, that section 302(c)(2)(A)(i) does not prohibit all employment relationships. Thus, they contend that Mr. Seda’s employment after the redemption was not the retention of a prohibited interest in the company. For the following' reasons, we agree with respondent.

Congress’ purpose in enacting section 302(c)(2) was to ensure' that the family attribution rules would not prevent a bona fide severance of a shareholder’s interest in a corporation from resulting in capital gains treatment. H. Rept. 1337, to accompany H.R. 8300 (Pub. L. 591), 83d Cong.,2d Sess. 36 (1954); S. Rept. 1622, to accompany H.R. 8300 (Pub. L. 591), 83d Cong., 2d Sess. 45 (1954).

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Seda v. Commissioner
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Bluebook (online)
82 T.C. No. 36, 82 T.C. 484, 1984 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 93, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/seda-v-commissioner-tax-1984.