1971 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 198">*198
H and W owned improved real estate used in a business operated by H. This property was condemned. H and W brought other improved real estate and made specific plans to erect new facilities to be used for similar purposes. Work was begun in accordance with these plans, but H died before the execution of a formal written construction contract. The replacement was subsequently effected by testamentary trustees under H's will in accordance with the plans and within the prescribed time limit of
55 T.C. 636">*637 Respondent determined a deficiency of $ 35,115.10 in the income tax of petitioners for the calendar year 1964. The sole issue presented concerns the applicability of
FINDINGS OF FACT
All of the facts have been stipulated and are found accordingly.
1971 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 198">*201 The petitioners in this case are the Estate of John E. Morris and Margaret H. Morris, the deceased's widow. At the time their petition was filed, the office address of the executors and the residence of Mrs. Morris were in Salisbury, Md. Pursuant to section 6013(a)(3), petitioners timely filed a joint return for the calendar year 1964 with the district director of internal revenue, Baltimore, Md.
The deceased, John E. Morris, and Margaret H. Morris, his wife, owned undivided one-half interests as tenants in common in certain improved real property consisting of the land and buildings thereon located on Calvert Street in Salisbury, Md. (hereinafter the Calvert Street property). The Calvert Street property was leased for commercial purposes.
In the fall of 1960, the Salisbury Planning Commission held public hearings on a proposed "Central Business District Revitalization Plan." Subsequently, in 1961, the mayor and Council of Salisbury formally concurred with the plan. In 1962, a public hearing was held and formal approval was given to a revised "Northside Project Urban Renewal Plan" (hereinafter the Northside Plan). The Calvert Street property was located within the area affected1971 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 198">*202 by the Northside Plan, and after these hearings Mr. and Mrs. Morris knew their property would be condemned. Federal approval of the Northside Plan was given in April 1962.
The Calvert Street property was not formally condemned until April 9 and 10, 1964. Damages were set at $ 338,600. This sum, plus $ 1,808.35 in interest, was paid to Mr. and Mrs. Morris on May 12, 1964.
In the interval between formal Federal approval of the Northside Plan in April 1962 and the receipt by Mr. and Mrs. Morris of the condemnation proceeds in May 1964, the following steps were taken with regard to the replacement of the Calvert Street property:
(1) In May 1962, the services of Irving M. Footlik & Associates (hereinafter Footlik), a consulting engineering and architectural firm, were requested with regard to replacing the Calvert Street property.
55 T.C. 636">*638 (2) In June and August 1962, surveys of certain real property located at Brown and Naylor Streets in Salisbury (hereinafter the Brown Street property) were obtained.
(3) Throughout the latter months of 1962, extensive consultations were held with Footlik and plans for the replacement facility were discussed.
(4) The Brown Street property was purchased1971 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 198">*203 by Mr. and Mrs. Morris as tenants in common in November 1962 with the intent of constructing thereon facilities to replace the Calvert Street property.
(5) After Mr. and Mrs. Morris purchased the Brown Street property, many conferences were held with the general contracting firm of J. Roland Dashiell & Sons, Inc. (hereinafter Dashiell). Dashiell had submitted a budget price to the Morrises based on the Footlik plans.
(6) Between January and April 1964, Dashiell broke ground on the Brown Street property by razing unwanted buildings, cutting the property to grade, and taking soil borings to determine final footings data pursuant to an understanding with the Morrises that it would build the building. On April 1, 1964, based on final drawings, Dashiell quoted a total construction price of $ 483,413.75, which included work already completed, including razing two buildings, grading, and soil borings.
At the time Mr. and Mrs. Morris received the condemnation proceeds, they were ready to enter a written contract with Dashiell but were waiting for the condemnation award to become final upon the expiration of the 30-day appeal period.
Two days after Mr. and Mrs. Morris received the condemnation1971 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 198">*204 proceeds, they purchased $ 340,000 of General Motors Acceptance Corp. short-term commercial paper. This commercial paper had due dates ranging from 60 to 210 days. The due dates corresponded with the financial requirements of the contemplated construction schedule for the replacement facility.
On May 24, 1964, John E. Morris died suddenly and unexpectedly. His will was admitted to probate on June 1, 1964, by the Orphans' Court of Wicomico County, Md. This will named his three sons as executors and trustees with broad powers.
On August 4, 1964, the sons, as coexecutors under the decedent's will, filed a petition in the Orphans' Court seeking to transfer to the co-trustees under the will the decedent's interest in both the Brown Street property and the condemnation proceeds. The petition stated that such a transfer was necessary in order to proceed with the building plans 55 T.C. 636">*639 for the replacement facility "in the same manner and on the same basis as the deceased and his family had started and intended to continue except for his death." This petition was granted on the same date.
On August 12, 1964, the sons, as trustees under the decedent's will, and Mrs. Morris entered a 1971 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 198">*205 written contract with Dashiell for the construction of the replacement facilities on the Brown Street property. Construction, however, had already begun on July 15, 1964.
Construction was completed and the new facilities, which were solely intended to replace the Calvert Street property, were occupied in April 1965. Full payment of the cost of the new facilities was made on or before May 6, 1965.
OPINION
In approaching our decision herein, it is important to keep in mind precisely what is involved. Concededly, the trust and the decedent are separate taxpayers. But the issue is not the right of one taxpayer on his own behalf to exercise a right of election conferred upon another taxpayer. The testamentary trustees are not seeking to exercise any right of election. The return in question is that of the decedent and his wife for the year of death and it is the decedent who is claiming
The focus of this case is a narrow one. Decedent's property was condemned and he received the proceeds thereof in the taxable year of, but prior to, his death. Also prior to his death, decedent had developed detailed plans for replacement and had embarked1971 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 198">*206 upon a course of implementation of those plans by acquiring new land and reaching an understanding with the contractors as regards the replacement building. In accordance with that understanding, prior to death, the land had been prepared for the erection of the building. The decedent's plans for replacement were fulfilled after his death by the residuary trustees under his will through the execution of the written contract to erect the new building and the completion of its erection.
The single question 21971 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 198">*207 before us is whether, under the foregoing circumstances, the decedent should be deprived of the right to postpone the recognition of gain from the condemnation realized in the year of death in accordance with the election provided for in
1971 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 198">*208 To a large degree, our decision herein turns upon the effect to be given to
1971 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 198">*209 Concededly, there are differences between the situation which existed in
A second distinction rests upon the contention that
We do not have before us a situation where the owner of condemned property voluntarily chooses to have the replacement made by another. Compare
Here, the decedent was the architect of the plan of replacement and had, prior to his death, set in motion the actions to implement that plan. He was precluded from completing those actions by the untimely event of death. Thereafter, his successors in interest, proceeding in strict accordance with the decedent's plan, finished the job. Under these circumstances, although the issue is not free from doubt, we think that it can be said that, for the purpose of perfecting the right of election conferred upon the decedent by
In view of the foregoing and taking into account that
1971 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 198">*214
Dawson,
Thus I suspect that in the
The election under
We would reach a highly technical result in this case if, considering 55 T.C. 636">*644 the decedent's steps toward replacement and the election by his executors, we were to impose a tax because it was more convenient for the decedent's sons to complete replacement in their capacity as trustees rather than as executors. I view the trustees as merely carrying out the mandate of the executors and the Orphans' Court.
While there is a probability the capital gain may go untaxed, that is the result of section 1014 rather than
Kern,
In the context of these sections of the Code and the definition of "taxpayer" in section 7701(a)(14) it is obvious that "the taxpayer" referred to in
In the instant case "the taxpayer" died before the replacement called for by
Although "the taxpayer" did not and could not perform the acts 55 T.C. 636">*645 required as a prerequisite to calling into play the exception provided by
Since the instant case is quite different in several crucial respects from the
One of those crucial differences is that in the
1971 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 198">*220 55 T.C. 636">*646 In the
Our decision in that case was reversed by the Court of Appeals. The opinion of that court states three grounds for reversal. The first ground was that the applicable statute (
None of these grounds of reversal are relevant to the facts of the instant case and consequently the opinion of the Court of Appeals is irrelevant to the problem before us.
1971 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 198">*224 On the crucial question of whether the testamentary trustees may be considered as a matter of law to be acting on behalf of the deceased taxpayer and their actions equated with the actions of the "taxpayer" called for by
1971 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 198">*225 The actions taken by the trustees which accomplished the replacement of the condemned property were taken pursuant to their own 55 T.C. 636">*648 intent and the intent of their mother, the beneficiary of the trusts and coowner of the condemned property. That property was business property used by Shore Distributors, Inc., a corporation engaged in the wholesale distribution of plumbing and heating supplies. It is stipulated that all of its stock was held by the decedent, his wife, and the three sons who were the testamentary trustees. It was this corporation which received bids for the construction of the replacement property, and it was this corporation which leased the replacement property from decedent's widow and the three adult sons of petitioner who were the trustees. As such trustees they held all of decedent's stock in the corporation during their mother's lifetime with remainder in themselves or their issue at her death, they owned individually their own stock in the corporation, and their mother, the beneficiary of the trusts, owned her stock. 5 It would seem obvious that the actions of the trustees and decedent's widow in making the replacement of the condemned business property1971 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 198">*226 were taken, not as merely the pious fulfillment of the wishes of a deceased parent and spouse, but for business reasons connected with their own pecuniary interests as the real owners of the family business corporation which was to be the lessee of the replacement property as it had been of the condemned property.
I am unable to understand the characterization of the trustees by the majority opinion as "successors in interest" and the clear implication that since they are "successors in interest" to decedent they should be considered as acting on decedent's behalf as if they were executors, i.e., as if they held a legal status which they obviously did not. No authority is cited. With all deference, it is submitted that on the facts here present the trustees are not and cannot be considered as "successors in interest" to decedent. See
Since there is no capacity in law or in equity in which the trustees could act for the decedent in making the replacement and since as a practical matter the trustees were acting in this matter on behalf of themselves (as holders of the legal title and equitable remainder interests) and on behalf of the beneficiary of the trusts, I consider as completely untenable the conclusion of the majority that "the testamentary trustees were acting on his behalf in making the replacement."
Another reed upon which the majority opinion leans is a footnote which attempts to show an administrative construction inconsistent with the respondent's position in this case, as evidenced by his publication 55 T.C. 636">*649 of the Court of Appeals' opinion in the
The majority opinion makes a point that
1. All references are to the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, unless otherwise indicated.↩
2. Respondent concedes that the "similar or related in service or use to the property so converted" and the time of replacement requirements of
3.
(a) General Rule. -- If property (as a result of its destruction in whole or in part, theft, seizure, or requisition or condemnation or threat or imminence thereof) is compulsorily or involuntarily converted -- * * * * (3) Conversion into money where disposition occurred after 1950. -- Into money or into property not similar or related in service or use to the converted property, and the disposition of the converted property (as defined in paragraph (2)) occurred after December 31, 1950, the gain (if any) shall be recognized except to the extent hereinafter provided in this paragraph: (A) Nonrecognition of gain. -- If the taxpayer during the period specified in subparagraph (B), for the purpose of replacing the property so converted, purchases other property similar or related in service or use to the property so converted, or purchases stock in the acquisition of control of a corporation owning such other property, at the election of the taxpayer the gain shall be recognized only to the extent that the amount realized upon such conversion (regardless of whether such amount is received in one or more taxable years) exceeds the cost of such other property or such stock. Such election shall be made at such time and in such manner as the Secretary or his delegate may by regulations prescribe. For purposes of this paragraph -- (i) no property or stock acquired before the disposition of the converted property shall be considered to have been acquired for the purpose of replacing such converted property unless held by the taxpayer on the date of such disposition; and (ii) the taxpayer shall be considered to have purchased property or stock only if, but for the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, the unadjusted basis of such property or stock would be its cost within the meaning of section 1012. (B) Period within which property must be replaced. -- The period referred to in subparagraph (A) shall be the period beginning with the date of the disposition of the converted property, or the earliest date of the threat or imminence of requisition or condemnation of the converted property, whichever is earlier, and ending -- (i) one year after the close of the first taxable year in which any part of the gain upon the conversion is realized, or↩
4.
(f) Involuntary Conversions. -- If property (as a result of its destruction in whole or in part, theft or seizure, or an exercise of the power of requisition or condemnation, or the threat or imminence thereof) is compulsorily or involuntarily converted into property similar or related in service or use to the property so converted, or into money which is forthwith in good faith, under regulations prescribed by the Commissioner with the approval of the Secretary, expended in the acquisition of other property similar or related in service or use to the property so converted, or in the acquisition of control of a corporation owning such other property, or in the establishment of a replacement fund, no gain shall be recognized, but loss shall be recognized. If any part of the money is not so expended, the gain, if any, shall be recognized to the extent of the money which is not so expended (regardless of whether such money is received in one or more taxable years and regardless of whether or not the money which is not so expended constitutes gain).↩
5. Pub. L. No. 251, 82d Cong., 1st Sess. (1951), 65 Stat. 733.↩
6. In so stating, we do not include the rationale set forth in fn. 6 to the opinion of the Court of Appeals, as to which we refrain from expressing any opinion.↩
7. We note that the Court of Appeals decision in Goodman was published as a court decision by respondent in 1954 (see
1. In the majority opinion the question is stated as being "whether * * * the decedent should be deprived of the right to postpone the recognition of gain from the condemnation." It is submitted that a better statement would be "whether the decedent is entitled to the right or privilege to postpone the recognition of gain from the condemnation called for by
2. In this connection, I point out the following facts which have been somewhat glossed over in the majority opinion:
(1) The decedent's will devised the residue of his estate to trustees of two trusts, one being referred to as the marital trust and the other being in effect a supplemental marital trust during his wife's lifetime. The wife as primary beneficiary was given considerable powers over distributions. Decedent's three sons were the trustees with broad powers "to invest as they may consider advisable or proper." The sons or their issue were to take whatever remained in the trusts on the death of their mother.
(2) The distributions of the Brown Street property and the General Motors Acceptance Corp. notes were made to the trustees by the executors "in order that said Residuary Trustees may proceed with the completion of said building plans."
(3) The title to the replacement property was held in the names of the widow and the trustees, and the lease of the property executed after the building was completed named the widow and the cotrustees as lessors.↩
3. See
4. This is true even though, as in this case, the same persons are nominated by the decedent's will to serve as executors and as testamentary trustees.
5. I am unable to find any reference in the majority opinion to these stipulated facts having to do with Shore Distributors, Inc.↩