Woodhall v. Commissioner

1969 T.C. Memo. 279, 28 T.C.M. 1438, 1969 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 13
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedDecember 22, 1969
DocketDocket Nos. 5610-67, 5613-67.
StatusUnpublished

This text of 1969 T.C. Memo. 279 (Woodhall 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
Woodhall v. Commissioner, 1969 T.C. Memo. 279, 28 T.C.M. 1438, 1969 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 13 (tax 1969).

Opinion

Chrissie H. Woodhall, a widow v. Commissioner. Estate of W. Lyle Woodhall, Deceased, Chrissie H. Woodhall, Executrix v. Commissioner.
Woodhall v. Commissioner
Docket Nos. 5610-67, 5613-67.
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1969-279; 1969 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 13; 28 T.C.M. (CCH) 1438; T.C.M. (RIA) 69279;
December 22, 1969, Filed
George Constable 14th Floor, Morton Bldg., 801 Second Ave., Seattle, Wash., for the petitioners. Lee A. Kamp, for the respondent.

FORRESTER

Memorandum Opinion

FORRESTER, Judge: In these consolidated cases, respondent has determined deficiencies in income taxes as follows:

DocketNo.PetitionersTaxableYear EndedDefi- cien - cies
5610-67Chrissie H. Woodhall12/31/65$388.12
5613-67Estate of W. Lyle Woodhall12/31/64370.90
5613-67Estate of W. Lyle Woodhall12/31/65722.80

All of the facts have been stipulated and are so found. The stipulation and exhibits attached thereto are incorporated herein by this reference.

The only issue for decision is whether payments received by the estate of a deceased partner (cash basis partnership) in 1964 and 1965 and by the surviving spouse in 1965, constitute ordinary income to the extent that such amounts are allocable to unrealized receivables. 1

*17 W. Lyle Woodhall (hereinafter sometimes referred to as Lyle or decedent) and Chrissie H. Woodhall (hereinafter sometimes referred to as Chrissie or petitioner) were husband and wife. Lyle died on January 20, 1964. Chrissie is petitioner herein both individually and as executrix of the estate of her deceased husband. At the time of the filing of the petitions herein her residence was Walla Walla, Washington.

For the calendar year 1964 Chrissie filed a joint income tax return as a surviving spouse with the district director of internal revenue at Tacoma, Washington. For the calendar year 1965 she filed an individual income tax return with the district director of internal revenue at Tacoma, Washington. A fiduciary income tax return (Form 1041) for the estate of W. Lyle Woodhall was filed for 1964 for the period beginning January 20 and ending December 31. A fiduciary income tax return was also filed for the calendar year 1965.

Decedent, W. Lyle Woodhall, was associated with his brother, Eldon M. Woodhall (hereinafter sometimes referred to as Eldon), in a cash basis partnership engaged in the lathing and plastering contractor business in Walla Walla, Washington. The partnership, *18 carried on under the name of Woodhall Brothers, was formed on January 20, 1958. 1439 There was no written partnership agreement. The partners, however, acted as equal general partners from its formation. A final return of the partnership was filed on Form 1065 for the period ending January 20, 1964.

On December 26, 1961, Lyle and Eldon executed a buy-sell agreement which read as follows:

AGREEMENT

AGREEMENT between W. Lyle Woodhall and Eldon M. Woodhall, each of Walla Walla County, Washington.

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS the parties are co-partners doing business under the name of "Woodhall Brothers", in which partnership each of the parties has an equal interest, except insofar as the capital investment and drawing accounts are not, at present, equal, and

WHEREAS the parties desire to provide for the event of the death of one of them during the continuation of the partnership.

NOW, THEREFORE, for good consideration it is agreed as follows:

1. Upon the death of either partner the partnership shall terminate and the survivor shall purchase the decedent's interest in the partnership. The net worth of the partnership to determine the purchase price to be paid by the survivor, *19 shall be established as follows:

a. Accounts payable shall include all expenses incurred to date of death. Adjustment shall then be made to equalize the capital investment and drawing accounts of the partners.

b. Machinery, equipment, vehicles and other tangible personal property owned on January 1, 1962 shall have a valuation of $6850.00 for the calendar year 1962, plus additional like property purchased during the calendar year, at cost, less straight line depreciation from date of purchase to date of death. Annually thereafter the partners will agree to a new valuation for such property on hand at the beginning of each calendar year. If any of such property is sold, the sale price shall be deducted from the valuation.

c. Stock on hand shall be valued at cost. Only stock ordered and on hand and not included in receivables arising from work in progress shall be considered as "stock on hand."

d. Accounts receivable arising from work in progress as of the date of death shall be computed on a cost-plus basis, except for contracts taken on a bid price, which shall be computed on a percentage of completion basis. Accounts payable shall include all expenses incurred to date of death. *20 The valuation of accounts receivable shall be subject to re-evaluation for bad debts so that losses through bad debts and costs of collection shall be shared.

e. No valuation shall be given to unfinished work in progress or good will.

f. Any other property of the partnership shall be valued at fair market value.

2.

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Helvering v. Estate of Enright
312 U.S. 636 (Supreme Court, 1941)
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O'Daniel v. Commissioner
10 T.C. 631 (U.S. Tax Court, 1948)
Casey v. Commissioner
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McAfee v. Commissioner
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Hall v. Commissioner
38 B.T.A. 1145 (Board of Tax Appeals, 1938)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1969 T.C. Memo. 279, 28 T.C.M. 1438, 1969 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 13, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/woodhall-v-commissioner-tax-1969.