Simon v. Director, Division of Taxation

24 N.J. Tax 509
CourtNew Jersey Tax Court
DecidedMarch 4, 2009
StatusPublished

This text of 24 N.J. Tax 509 (Simon v. Director, Division of Taxation) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Jersey Tax Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Simon v. Director, Division of Taxation, 24 N.J. Tax 509 (N.J. Super. Ct. 2009).

Opinion

DeALMEIDA, J.T.C.

This case concerns the calculation of use tax on a sailboat plaintiffs purchased in Maryland and put to use in New Jersey. Shortly after plaintiffs purchased their new sailboat they sold their old sailboat to another couple. Both transactions took place through the same broker, who never took possession of plaintiffs’ old sailboat, but who applied the proceeds from the sale of that vessel to the purchase price of the new sailboat. Plaintiffs, who do not contest application of the tax, contend that when calculating the tax due the Director, Division of Taxation must recognize a trade-in credit pursuant to N.J.S.A. 54:82B-6 for the amount realized from the sale of plaintiffs’ old sailboat. The Director takes the position that a trade-in credit is not available when the sale and purchase of similar property is handled through a broker who does not take possession for the purpose of resale of the property for which a trade-in credit is sought. For the reasons described more fully below, the court concludes that the Director’s [513]*513position is in accord with the plain language of N.J.S.A. 54:82B~6 and must be upheld. The court, therefore, grants the Director’s motion for summary judgment.

I. Findings of Fact

A. Undisputed Facts.

The court finds the following undisputed facts: Plaintiffs Marguerite T. Simon and Donald Howard are a married couple who reside in New Jersey. On March 24, 2006, plaintiffs signed a purchase agreement to buy from Annapolis Yacht Sales of Annapolis, Maryland, a 2006 Wauquiez PC 41 sailboat. The total price of the new sailboat, including accessories, delivery charges, commissioning, a shipping cradle, and after an $8,000 discount, was $887,221. The purchase agreement provided the following financing terms: “10% with order,” “85% on approved financing or arrival” and “5% on delivery.” The purchase agreement made no mention of a trade-in credit for plaintiffs’ old sailboat; the sales price of the new sailboat was not reduced to reflect any such credit; and plaintiffs’ agreement to purchase the new sailboat was in no way conditioned on the sale of their old sailboat or the acceptance of that vessel by Annapolis Yacht Sales for purposes of resale.

On April 1, 2006, plaintiffs signed a “Yacht Purchase and Sale Agreement” in which they agreed to sell to Jason and Polly Thomas plaintiffs’ 2004 Beneteau 361 sailboat for $116,200. The Thomases previously signed the agreement on March 27, 2006. This agreement plainly identified plaintiffs as the sellers of the old sailboat. Annapolis Yacht Sales is identified as the “Selling Broker” entitled to a commission for the transaction and is under no obligation to take possession of the old sailboat or provide the old sailboat to the Thomases. The Thomases were required to deposit $12,000 with Annapolis Yacht Sales to be held in escrow for plaintiffs until completion of the sale and were given until April 12, 2006 to survey the old sailboat and its inventory and to accept or reject the vessel. The agreement required plaintiffs, as the sellers, to deliver the old sailboat to the Thomases. A failure by plaintiffs to fulfill this obligation would render them liable to [514]*514Annapolis Yacht Sales for “the full brokerage commission which would have otherwise been due” had the sale been completed but would leave plaintiffs as the owners of the old sailboat. The purchase agreement set a closing date of May 7, 2006.

On April 11, 2006, prior to the date on which the Thomases were required to accept or reject the old sailboat and nearly a month before the anticipated closing date of that transaction, plaintiffs purchased the new sailboat. An April 12, 2006 bill of sale from Annapolis Yacht Sales provides as follows:

2006 Wauquiez 41 PS Hull # WAU41005A606 and her equipment
Selling Price $387,221.00
5% MD Tax out of state
Processing & Registration Fee _95.00
Sub Total $387,316.00
Less Deposit (100,000.00)
Less Amount Financed (200,000.00)
Balance Due at Delivery $ 87,316.00 (paid in certified funds or wire transfer prior to settlement payable to Annapolis Yacht Sales)

The bill of sale is signed by a representative of Annapolis Yacht Sales. Plaintiffs’ signatures appear on the bill of sale below a statement indicating that Annapolis Yacht Sales is not responsible for collecting Maryland sales tax on the new sailboat because plaintiffs intend to remove that boat from Maryland waters within sixty days. The April 12, 2006 bill of sale makes no mention of plaintiffs’ old sailboat, provides no credit for that boat, and contains no indication that Annapolis Yacht Sales accepted plaintiffs’ old sailboat as partial payment for the new sailboat. Because of the installation of electronic equipment, a generator, upholstery and other options, the new sailboat was delivered to plaintiffs on June 10, 2006.

The record contains a “Certification of State of Principal Use” filed with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources dated [515]*515April 11, 2006. The certification, signed by plaintiffs under penalty of perjury, describes the new sailboat and indicates that New Jersey will be the principal place of use of that vessel. The document lists the “Total Purchase Price” of the new sailboat as “$387,221.00” and the “Trade-in Value” as “$0.” The certification is also signed under penalty of perjury by a representative of Annapolis Yacht Sales.

On May 6, 2006, Jason and Polly Thomas purchased the old sailboat from plaintiffs. A bill of sale issued by Annapolis Yacht Sales provides as follows:

2004 Beneteau 361 “Sails of Justice” Hull # BEY76331I304 and her equipment
Selling Price $116,200.00
5% MD Tax 0.00
Processing Fee 95.00
Abstract Fee 0.00
Sub Total $116,295.00
Less Deposit Received (12,000.00)
Less Amount Financed (94,400.00)
Balance Due $ 9,895.00 (paid in certified funds or wire transfer prior to closing payable to Annapolis Yacht Sales)

On June 6, 2006, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission issued a Certificate of Title to plaintiffs for the new sailboat.

B. The Simon Certification.

According to a certification of plaintiff Simon, at the time that plaintiffs signed the purchase agreement to buy the new sailboat she and plaintiff Howard were aware that Annapolis Yacht Sales had identified purchasers for the old sailboat and was in the process of having those purchasers sign a purchase agreement for that transaction. According to Simon, it was plaintiffs’ “intention that the proceeds from the sale of the OLD sailboat would be used as part of the purchase price for the NEW sailboat” and that [516]*516representatives of Annapolis Yacht Sales were aware of this intention. Simon certified that because plaintiffs’ deposit and financing totaled $300,000, which is less than the purchase price of the new sailboat, it was clear that the proceeds from the sale of the old sailboat would be used to pay for the new vessel.

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Bluebook (online)
24 N.J. Tax 509, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/simon-v-director-division-of-taxation-njtaxct-2009.