Walsh v. Commissioner

1977 T.C. Memo. 392, 36 T.C.M. 1587, 1977 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 49
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedNovember 14, 1977
DocketDocket No. 7411-73.
StatusUnpublished

This text of 1977 T.C. Memo. 392 (Walsh 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
Walsh v. Commissioner, 1977 T.C. Memo. 392, 36 T.C.M. 1587, 1977 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 49 (tax 1977).

Opinion

JAMES R. WALSH, Petitioner v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Walsh v. Commissioner
Docket No. 7411-73.
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1977-392; 1977 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 49; 36 T.C.M. (CCH) 1587; T.C.M. (RIA) 770392;
November 14, 1977; as amended, Filed
Pipp Marshall Boyls and Peter R. Stromer, for the*50 petitioner.
Fredrick B. Strothman, for the respondent.

HALL

MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION

HALL, Judge: Respondent determined the following deficiencies and additions to tax in petitioner's Federal income tax:

YearDeficiencySec. 6653(b) 1Sec. 6654
1963$269,063.45$134,531.73$7,533.76
196417,357.898,678.95486.02
19662,455.441,227.7257.38
19679,301.704,650.85297.66

The issues for decision are:

(1) Whether $365,000 under the management and control of petitioner during 1963 and 1964 was misappropriated and converted by him for his personal benefit and is therefore taxable income to him;

(2) Whether the payment to petitioner of $1,000 in 1966 by J. Alton Lauren is taxable income to him;

(3) Whether payments during 1966 and 1967 by the Sargent Foundation to or on behalf of petitioner are taxable income to him;

(4) Whether payments during 1966 and 1967 by Americans Building Constitutionally to or on behalf of petitioner are taxable income to him;

(5) Whether the fraud penalty*51 provided by section 6653(b) is applicable for 1963, 1964, 1966 and 1967; and

(6) Whether the addition to tax pursuant to section 6654 for failure to pay estimated tax is applicable for 1963, 1964, 1966 and 1967.

FINDINGS OF FACT

Some of the facts have been stipulated and are found accordingly.

At the time he filed his petition, petitioner was a resident of Aurora, Colorado.

Petitioner is in the "educational business," instructing laymen in techniques to "conserve assets." Petitioner is knowledgeable in the law in general and tax law in particular.

In 1947 petitioner created the National Committee on Alcoholism and transferred the "rights" to all his services to that Committee. Subsequently, in 1964 he formed the Walsh Family Estate, a Trust, to carry on the work of the National Committee on Alcoholism and transferred his "intellectual property" to the trust. Petitioner, his wife and his mother were the trustees of the Walsh Family Estate. The primary beneficiary of the Walsh Family Estate was the Walsh Family Foundation. Neither the Walsh Family Estate nor the Walsh Family Foundation was a qualified tax exempt organization pursuant to section 501(c).

1. One*52 Prospect Corporation.

Petitioner was employed as general manager of the Boxwood properties ("Boxwood") from approximately March 1963 until January or February 1964. Boxwood consisted of some 23 to 25 structures which were composed of four, six or eight townhouses apiece. There was a total of 163 units, 159 of which were rentable. Four of the units were to be converted into a community recreation center and a large swimming pool was to be constructed adjacent to this center.

Boxwood was owned by One Prospect Corporation ("Prospect which was formed for the purpose of managing Boxwood. Prospect acquired Boxwood by taking over the existing mortgage and then refinancing the loan. Prospect had, as a result of the refinancing, a surplus of $358,000. This surplus was placed in an escrow account for the furnishing and operation of Boxwood as well as completion of the recreation center. Legal title to Boxwood was held by a land trust of which the sole beneficiaries were the principals of Prospect. Petitioner was neither an officer nor director of Prospect and he owned no equity in either prospect or Boxwood. 2

*53 As general manager of Boxwood, petitioner promoted the concept behind the project, namely, obtaining young, single (often transient) tenants for furnished apartments. His other duties included: preparing apartments for occupancy, securing tenants, collecting rents, paying bills, hiring and firing employees. In sum, he had complete control over the management of Boxwood.

During the period that petitioner was general manager of Boxwood, many of its expenses, particularly utility bills, were not paid, and some furniture was misappropriated. In addition, a check on Prospect's account, dated August 4, 1963, in the amount of $500 was made payable to a law firm which represented petitioner in a lawsuit. 3 This lawsuit did not involve Prospect in any manner whatsoever.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1977 T.C. Memo. 392, 36 T.C.M. 1587, 1977 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 49, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/walsh-v-commissioner-tax-1977.