Walker v. Commissioner

34 B.T.A. 983, 1936 BTA LEXIS 618
CourtUnited States Board of Tax Appeals
DecidedAugust 27, 1936
DocketDocket No. 76762.
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 34 B.T.A. 983 (Walker v. Commissioner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Board of Tax Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Walker v. Commissioner, 34 B.T.A. 983, 1936 BTA LEXIS 618 (bta 1936).

Opinion

[984]*984OPINION.

Tyson:

This proceeding seeks redetermination of an income tax deficiency in the amount of $3,673.73 for the calendar year 1930.

Petitioner assigns error in the respondent’s determination that the steps taken in a reorganization through recapitalization of the R. D. Walker Lumber Co. in 1930, by which petitioner in exchange for stock in that corporation received the equivalent of cash and stock in its recapitalization, constituted a single, nonseparable transaction and was taxable as such. Petitioner further assigns error in the respondent’s determination of the amount of gain derived from the transaction. Petitioner contends that he sold certain shares of stock of that company for the cancellation of his indebtedness to it without profit or loss and that, then, in a separate transaction his remaining shares of stock in that company were exchanged for new shares issued upon the reorganization, or, in the alternative, that the new shares were received as a nontaxable stock dividend.

Respondent denies the errors assigned and, in the alternative, by amended answer, to conform to proof, affirmatively alleges that the petitioner received in 1930 taxable dividends in the amount of $121,000, consisting of preferred stock of $41,300 and the cancellation of an indebtedness of $79,700, and requests that the deficiency be increased accordingly.

The stipulated facts are included herein by reference. A brief statement of the material facts as a part of our opinion will suffice.

Petitioner, an individual residing in Mobile, Alabama, had been engaged in the lumber business for many years. He had been the president of the R. D. Walker Lumber Co. since its organization on December 24, 1923, with a paid in capital of $200,000, represented by 2,000 shares of common stock of the par value of $100 each. There was no change in its capital structure until December 23, 1930, and no dividends were ever paid. The Lumber Co. engaged in the wholesale lumber business and petitioner not only managed and controlled the affairs of the corporation, but also personally handled practically all of its purchases and sales. The nature of the Lumber Co.’s business required a substantial line of bank credit. In or about 1930 the bank materially reduced the company’s line of credit.

On December 22, 1930, the stockholders of the Lumber Co. and their respective indebtedness to the company were as follows:

[[Image here]]

[985]*985The cost of such shares of stock to each stockholder was $100 per share. The above stated indebtedness to the Lumber Co. was not created by loans or advances to those individuals in anticipation of or in lieu of dividends, but grew out of loans to pay off bank loans used to purchase stock in the Lumber Co. and also withdrawals on personal drawing accounts in excess of commissions or salaries earned over a period of years.

On December 23, 1930, the board of directors of the Lumber Co. adopted four resolutions providing, in part, as follows:

(1) * * * that the treasurer of the Company be authorized and instructed to accept in payment of notes and accounts an equal value in shares of stock of this company of the following stockholders:
R. D. Walker Harry Majerski H. L. Gaines, Jr. B. H. Buck
Further, that any excess in value per books of the company of the stock surrendered be credited to said stockholders and such value above the indebtedness be issued in new stock as hereinafter provided.
(2) * * * that it is desirable to amend its articles of corporation so as to authorize the issuance by it of 2,000 shares of preferred stock at the par value of $100.00 per share, and 20,000 shares of no-par common stock, both classes of stock having full voting rights; the said preferred stock to be issued on bas.is of 6% cumulative dividends, payable semi-annually irom the surplus or earnings of the Company on January 1st, and July 1st, and to be callable by vote of majority of directors, at a price of $105.00.
(3) Whereas the surrender of common stock by stockholders, R. D. Walker, Harry Majerski, H. L. Gaines, Jr., E. H. Buck, in payment of their accounts, will result in approximately $90,000.00 being outstanding in the old common stock of the Company, and whereas there will be approximately $105,000.00 in surplus and undivided earnings account, now therefore, be it resolved by the board of directors that a stock dividend be declared, issuing a total of $150,000.00, 1,500 shares of $100.00 par value, 6% cumulative preferred stock, and 20,000 shares, no par common stock in lieu of the outstanding old common stock and surplus and undivided earnings, ⅜ * *
(4) * * * that a special meeting of stockholders be held at once to act on the above mentioned matters.

On the same day, December 23, 1930, the stockholders of the Lumber Co. held a special meeting after a waiver by each of all notice thereof and all consenting thereto, at which meeting there was passed a resolution specifically setting forth and adopting the amendment to the Lumber Co.’s articles of incorporation for the increase in its authorized capital stock as set forth in the resolution adopted by the board of directors, and also there was adopted a resolution axiprov-ing the action of the board of directors “with reference to cancellation of debts of stockholders and issuance of stock dividend as shown in detail by resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors.”

[986]*986At the close of and immediately after December 23,1930, the stockholders of the Lumber Co. and their respective stock holdings in and indebtedness to the company were as follows:

[[Image here]]

Petitioner concedes in his argument that the cancellation of his indebtedness of $79,700 in exchange for his surrender of 797 shares of $100 par value stock was the equivalent of the receipt of cash in that amount and with this we agree. Cf. Ida L. Dowling, 13 B. T. A. 787; Hugh H. Miller, 25 B. T. A. 418; B. F. Avery & Sons, Inc. 26 B. T. A. 1393; F. W. Fitch, 27 B. T. A. 615; aff'd., 70 Fed. (2d) 583; Moses Cohen, 28 B. T. A. 190; affd., 77 Fed. (2d) 184. Petitioner contends however that such exchange was really a sale, separate and distinct from his exchange of stock for stock. Upon the facts we conclude that the resolutions adopted on December 23, 1930, embraced a plan for the recapitalization of the Lumber Co. by the issuance of new preferred and common shares in lieu of the old outstanding common stock and, as an integral part thereof, the cancellation of the indebtedness of petitioner and three employees of the Lumber Co. Under the applicable statute, set forth in the margin,1 a recapitalization constitutes a “reorganization” as that term [987]*987is therein defined and, in the instant case, since petitioner in exchange for his old common stock received not only new stock but also “other property or money” (i. e., the cancellation of his $79,700 debt to the corporation), the transaction falls within the provisions of section 112 (c) (1) and the gain “shall be recognized, but in an amount not in excess of the sum of such money and the fair market value of such other property.” First Seattle Dexter Horton National Bank et

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Kniffen v. Commissioner
39 T.C. 553 (U.S. Tax Court, 1962)
Taylor v. Commissioner
1960 T.C. Memo. 105 (U.S. Tax Court, 1960)
Walker v. Commissioner
34 B.T.A. 983 (Board of Tax Appeals, 1936)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
34 B.T.A. 983, 1936 BTA LEXIS 618, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/walker-v-commissioner-bta-1936.