Stanton v. United States

371 F. Supp. 103, 33 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 934, 1974 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12193
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedFebruary 20, 1974
DocketCiv. A. No. 71-1735
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 371 F. Supp. 103 (Stanton v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Stanton v. United States, 371 F. Supp. 103, 33 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 934, 1974 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12193 (E.D. Pa. 1974).

Opinion

FINDINGS OF FACT

NEWCOMER, District Judge.

The facts which give rise to the controversy involved herein are not disputed by the parties and for that reason, the ease has been submitted to the Court as a case stated. Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure, rule 52(a), the Court adopts the facts as stipulated by the parties as our own and sets them forth as follows:

1. Plaintiffs Thomas P. and Wanda S. Stanton, husband and wife, reside at 639 Colonel Dewees Road, Wayne, Pennsylvania 19087.

2. Defendant is the United States of America.

3. Jurisdiction exists under 28 U.S.C. § 1346(a)(1).

4. Thomas P. Stanton formed a business in 1961 known as Stanton Refracto[104]*104ry Sales Company, which he operated thereafter as a sole proprietorship.

5. In 1964, plaintiff Thomas Stanton filed an election to have his sole proprietorship taxed as a corporation under the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, a procedure then available under Section 1361 of the Code.

6. This election was made formally by Thomas Stanton in a letter dated February 17, 1964, addressed to the District Director of Internal Revenue, and beginning with the calendar year 1964, plaintiff Stanton filed federal corporate income tax returns (Form 1120) on behalf of his business.

7. The effect of this election by plaintiff Stanton was to retain his status as a sole proprietor for all purposes except federal income taxation, with respect to which the business was treated as an actual corporation owned entirely by plaintiff Stanton.

8. As the result of legislative action, all outstanding Section 1361 elections, including that of plaintiff Stanton, would terminate by law on January 1, 1969, unless the election was terminated earlier.

9. Prior to this amendment, which became effective on April 14, 1966, an election to be taxed as a corporation under Section 1361 was binding and irrevocable except in very limited circumstances.

10. The amendment permitted free revocation of the election at any time after the effective date of the legislation.

11. Faced with an involuntary termination of his election on January 1, 1969, plaintiff elected to terminate his election voluntarily on November 1, 1966. The Balance Sheet of Stanton Refractory Sales Company reflected the following as of October 31, 1966:

ASSETS:

Cash $122,314.41

Accounts Receivable 45,561.18

Inventory 39.144.74

Furniture and Equipment (Net of depreciation) 10.242.75

Insurance Deposit 140.00

Telephone Deposit 100.00

TOTAL ASSETS $217,503.08

LIABILITIES:

Accounts Payable $ 50,406.33

Accrued Payroll Taxes 1,746.96

Provision for Federal Income Taxes 4,933.52

Equity:

Paid-In Capital $ 22,067.54

Retained Earnings 138,348.73

160,416.27

TOTAL LIABILITIES $217,503.08

12. Following the termination of his Section 1361 election on November 1, 1966, plaintiff incorporated Stanton Refractories, Inc. on November 1, 1966. Plaintiff received 51 percent of the stock in Stanton Refractories, Inc. and his wife received the remaining 49 percent, with initial capitalization being [105]*105$10,000. Plaintiff formed the formal corporation after discussion with his advisers for the following business purposes: (1) organization of a business entity with nominal paid-in capital to facilitate the transfer of business to employees upon retirement, and (2) the adoption of a profit sharing plan whose benefits to employees would be substantially in excess over those permitted to a sole proprietorship.

13. At the time of the termination of the Section 1361 election of Stanton Refractory Sales Company and the incorporation of Stanton Refractories, Inc., plaintiff retained cash of $114,052.58 and Accounts Receivable of $41,297.21, and assumed a debt for Federal taxes of $4,933.52.

14. Also at the time of the termination of the Section 1361 election of Stanton Refractory Sales Company and the incorporation of Stanton Refractories, Inc., the operating assets of the business were transferred to Stanton Refractories, Inc.

15. The opening Balance Sheet of Stanton Refractories, Inc. on November 1, 1966 reflected the following:

Cash $ 8,261.83

Accounts Receivable 4,263.97

TOTAL ASSETS $62,153.29

Accounts Payable $50,406.33

Accrued Taxes 1,746.96

Net Equity:

$10,000 Capital Stock

0 Retained Earnings

10,000.00

TOTAL LIABILITIES $62,153.29

16. As of October 31, 1966, Stanton Refractory Sales Company had retained earnings of $138,348.73. Plaintiff’s adjusted basis in his interest in Stanton Refractory Sales Company on that date was $22,067.54.

17. On his Federal Income Tax Return for 1966, plaintiff treated the November, 1966 transactions as a liquidation of Stanton Refractory Sales Company, distribution of all the assets of the Company to plaintiff, and the eontribution of the operating assets by plaintiff to Stanton Refractories, Inc. As a result, plaintiff reported the gain on the transaction as long-term capital gain.

18. Plaintiff computed the gain on the transaction as follows:

Total Equity $160,416.27

Basis: Paid-in Capital 22,067.54

Net Gain $138,348.73

19. The Internal Revenue Service treated the transaction of November 1, [106]*1061966 as a taxable dividend rather than a long-term capital gain.

20. The Internal Revenue Service assessed a deficiency against the plaintiffs for the year 1966 in the amount of $48,104.65. Said amount together with interest in the amount of $8,568.55 for a total payment of $56,673.20 was paid to the defendant on April 8, 1970.

21. Timely claim for refund for the year 1967 was filed on May 1, 1970 with the District Director of Internal Revenue at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

22. Plaintiffs received notice dated June 16, 1971 stating that said claim for refund was disallowed.

DISCUSSION

The plaintiffs Thomas P. and Wanda S. Stanton, are suing for a refund of back taxes which allegedly arose out of the 1966 termination and liquidation of Mr. Stanton’s business enterprise, Stanton Refractory Sales Company. The problem arises out of the fact that Mr. Stanton received a distribution of assets of Stanton Refractory Sales Company upon liquidation and immediately thereafter set up a new corporation to carry on the business of the old proprietorship. The new corporation was named Stanton Refractories, Inc.

In their 1966 joint Federal Income Tax Return, the plaintiffs treated the distribution of assets of the 1361 pseudo corporation to Thomas P. Stanton as a long-term capital gain. Plaintiffs did not treat the gain realized as a dividend to Mr. Stanton because Section 331(b)1 through Section 1361 (i) excludes the application of Section 3012

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Bluebook (online)
371 F. Supp. 103, 33 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 934, 1974 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12193, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stanton-v-united-states-paed-1974.