Walshe v. Commissioner

1994 T.C. Memo. 46, 67 T.C.M. 2119, 1994 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 48
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedFebruary 7, 1994
DocketDocket No. 1922-92
StatusUnpublished

This text of 1994 T.C. Memo. 46 (Walshe 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
Walshe v. Commissioner, 1994 T.C. Memo. 46, 67 T.C.M. 2119, 1994 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 48 (tax 1994).

Opinion

HENRY E. WALSHE, Petitioner v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Walshe v. Commissioner
Docket No. 1922-92
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1994-46; 1994 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 48; 67 T.C.M. (CCH) 2119;
February 7, 1994, Filed

*48 Decision will be entered for respondent.

P and C were each 50-percent owners of a design service corporation (Y). P and C purchased property and formed a partnership (X) to operate it. X rented the property to Y. P also used a portion of the property for residential purposes. X took depreciation deductions on the entire property, less the land allocation. In addition, X deducted essentially all expenses related to the operation of the property.

Held: P does not qualify for a rollover under sec. 1034, I.R.C., on gain from the sale of property

For petitioners: Melanie Garger and Gail Campbell.
LARO

LARO

MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION

LARO, Judge: This case is before the Court pursuant to the petition of Henry E. Walshe (petitioner) for a redetermination of respondent's determinations reflected in her notice of deficiency. Respondent determined deficiencies in and additions to petitioner's 1987 Federal income tax as follows:

Additions to Tax
Sec. Sec. Sec.
Deficiency6653(a)(1)(A)6653(a)(1)(B)6661
$ 58,320$ 2,9161$ 14,580

The issues for decision are: (1) Whether*49 petitioner is entitled to roll over gain under section 1034 on the sale of a property; (2) whether petitioner is liable for additions to tax for negligence under section 6653(a)(1)(A) and (B); and (3) whether petitioner is liable for an addition to tax for substantial understatement of tax under section 6661.

FINDINGS OF FACT

Some of the facts have been stipulated and are so found. The stipulations and exhibits attached thereto are incorporated herein by this reference. At the time he filed his petition, petitioner resided in Northport, New York. Unless otherwise indicated, all section references are to the Internal Revenue Code in effect for 1987, the year in issue, and all Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.

Petitioner and Thomas Cook (Cook) are both architectural designers. They each owned 50 percent of the common stock of a design service firm, Cook, Walshe & Associates, Inc. (CWA). On July 10, 1981, petitioner and Cook purchased property, a three-story house at 25 Imperial Avenue in Westport, Connecticut (the property); they owned the property as tenants in common. Petitioner and Cook intended to use the property partly as offices for*50 CWA and partly as residential space for petitioner. At the time they purchased the property, it was zoned for residential use only. Petitioner and Cook presented plans to the zoning board of Westport, Connecticut (the zoning board), for dual use of the property, which included petitioner's occupancy of an apartment on the top floor of the house with access to the kitchen and bathroom on the lower floor. After several meetings with the zoning board, the zoning board approved the dual use of the property.

Petitioner and Cook formed Imperial Partners on July 10, 1981, the same day they purchased the property, to engage in real estate rental. From its formation through August 31, 1987, the date of its dissolution, petitioner and Cook were equal partners in Imperial Partners. Throughout this period, Imperial Partners rented the property to CWA without a written lease. The rental amount for the property was determined by agreement between the partners and CWA and was designed to cover the property's expenses.

During the years 1981 through 1987, Imperial Partners filed Forms 1065, U.S. Partnership Return of Income. On these returns, Imperial Partners depreciated the property based*51 on 100 percent of the property's basis except for the portion of the basis allocated to the land. Also on these returns, Imperial Partners deducted all the expenses related to the property except the telephone bills, which CWA deducted. The same accountant prepared Imperial Partners' 1981 through 1987 returns and petitioner's individual returns from 1981 through 1986.

Petitioner began residing in the house in March 1982. The top floor of the house was used to store files, printing equipment, and furniture; petitioner's overnight guests would occasionally sleep there.

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Bluebook (online)
1994 T.C. Memo. 46, 67 T.C.M. 2119, 1994 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 48, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/walshe-v-commissioner-tax-1994.