DocketNumber: Docket No. 11051-80.
Filed Date: 1/17/1983
Status: Non-Precedential
Modified Date: 11/20/2020
MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION
PARKER,
Year | Deficiency |
1973 | $9,474.29 |
1974 | 8,264.82 |
1975 | 7,150.91 |
1976 | 8,338.15 |
By amended answer respondent requested the Court to determine an additional deficiency for 1973 of $67,384.18 making the total deficiency for that year $76,858.47. The issue for decision is whether an amount received by petitioner is taxable as ordinary income under sections 301, 302, 304, and 316 or whether it is taxable as capital gain under section 351(b). *762 The stipulation of facts, the supplemental stipulation of facts, and the attached exhibits are incorporated herein by this reference.
Petitioner resided in Farmington, Michigan, when he filed his petition in this case.
The transaction, whose tax consequences are in issue here, involved three Michigan corporations, Labor Trends, Inc. (L), Trends Publishing Company (P), and Brams Communication Services Company (C). C corporation was established in 1962. It was engaged primarily in the business of transmitting public relations releases, news releases, and other information to newspapers, and radio and television stations. P corporation was established in 1963. Its business was the publication of books and pamphlets that were primarily concerned with labor relations. L corporation was established in 1964. It published a monthly newsletter that was concerned with labor relations and labor contracts.
The three corporations occupied the same office space, shared many of the same employees, and used the same telephones and office equipment. The three corporations had identical profit-sharing plans. The profit-sharing plans recognized employment time for each corporation as*763 time credited to vesting under all plans.
On December 1, 1973, petitioner owned 100 percent of the stock of L corporation and 100 percent of the stock of P corporation. The stock of C was owned as follows:
Relationship to | Number of | |
Shareholder | Petitioner | Shares |
Stanley H. Brams | Petitioner | 30 |
John B. Brams | Son | 25 |
James O. Brams | Son | 25 |
Irving F. Keene | Attorney | 1 |
The Stanley H. Brams | ||
Trust | 14 | |
Treasury Stock | 5 |
The income beneficiaries of the Stanley H. Brams Trust were petitioner's sons, John B. Brams and James O. Brams.
On December 1, 1973, C declared a stock dividend of 200 shares of C stock for each share owned by the shareholders on that date. Also on December 1, 1973, a joint meeting of the shareholders and directors of the three corporations was held. At this meeting the value of the L stock was established at $115,000 plus receivables and accounts. *764 The report of the meeting further stated that the original purpose of organizing as three corporations had been to limit the risk of loss to all corporations by dividing the businesses, which were subject to different risks. Since C had recently expanded the scope of its business, the directors thought there was no longer a business reason to continue the three corporations as three separate entities and decided that the business of the corporations would be advanced and the costs reduced if the three corporations were combined.
In order to accomplish the combination of businesses, it was decided that C would acquire all of the stock of P in exchange for 700 shares of C stock in what purported to be a reorganization under section 368(a)(1)(B) and P would then continue to operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of C. It was also decided that C would purchase all of the stock of L from petitioner for $115,000 plus receivables and accounts and would also be operated as a subsidiary of C.
The following motions were made on behalf of the three corporations and were unanimously passed:
MOVED that the value of the stock of Brams Communications Service, Inc., which is issued and outstanding, *765 be established at $30.00 per share, and that the value of Trends Publishing Company be established at $21,000 and that the value of Labor Trends be established at $115,000; and
MOVED that Brams Communications Services, Inc., exchange 700 shares of Treasury Stock for all of the outstanding stock of Trends Publishing Company; and
MOVED that Brams Communications Services, Inc., purchase the stock of Labor Trends for the sum of $115,000 plus receivables and accounts, the purchase to be made upon the following terms: The sum equal to 20% of the purchase price shall be paid on December 1, 1973, in cash or other assets of the purchasing corporation having a readily determinable market value. If securities are used, the valuation date shall be November 30, the nearest trade date. An additional 20% of the purchase price shall be payable on or before January 10, 1974, but not prior to December 31, 1973. The payment shall be made in cash or securities and, if the latter, the valuation shall be made at the highest trade on the date of payment. The balance of the purchase price shall be paid on the 10th day of January of each year in installments of not less than 20% of the original purchase*766 price with the final installment to be paid in 1976. Interest at the rate of 6% per annum shall be paid in addition to principal payments. The corporation shall issue its Installment Promissory Note for the obligation and agrees to establish a specific reserve for payment of the debt which shall be subject to a security interest in favor of the seller. The use of the reserve for operating capital shall be permitted with the approval of the seller, but all proceeds of the reserve shall be immediately returned to the reserve to the full extent of the principal balance then remaining.
Pursuant to the above resolutions, C executed an Installment Promissory Note payable to the order of petitioner in the amount of $97,581.69, plus interest at six percent. The note provided for principal payment of $24,395.42 on January 10, 1974, and an equal amount on January 10, 1975, January 10, 1976, and January 10, 1977. The note was dated December 1, 1973. Also on that date a memorandum of sale was prepared, which recited a total purchase price of $121,977.11 for all of petitioner's L stock. This memorandum stated that the first installment in the amount of $24,395.42 *767 The memorandum stated:
Pursuant to the action of the Boards of Directors, BRAMS COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES COMPANY purchases and STANLEY H. BRAMS sells all of his shares in Labor Trends, Inc., a Michigan corporation.
The purchase price has been determined as follows:
Agreed purchase price for the publication, | |
its trade name, good will, | |
mailing lists, subscriptions and | |
office equipment | $115,000.00 |
Accounts | 6,977.11 |
TOTAL PURCHASE PRICE | $121,977.11 |
First installment at 20% of | |
purchase price | $ 24,395.42 |
The first installment has been paid by transfer of the following assets:
1. | Cash | $7,752.92 |
2. | November 30, 1973 value. | |
Method of valuation: Market quote, | ||
New York Stock Exchange. | ||
3. | 100 shares Northwest Airlines | 2,062.50 |
4. | 100 shares Delta Airlines | 3,737.50 |
5. | 100 shares Allegheny Airlines | 575.00 |
6. | 100 shares Eastern Airlines | 650.00 |
7. | 500 shares Generics Corporation | 1,500.00 |
8. | 100 shares Guardian Industries | 1,412.50 |
9. | 100 shares Continental Telephone | 1,850.00 |
10. | 100 shares Imperial Corporation | 875.00 |
11. | 100 shares Rockwell International | 2,562.50 |
12. | 210 shares Sky City Stores | 1,417.50 |
*768 Also pursuant to the December 1, 1973 resolutions, petitioner received from C corporation 700 shares of C stock in exchange for all of his P stock. After the stock dividend, the exchange of C stock for P stock, and the sale of L stock to C corporation, the ownership of C corporation was as follows:
Relationship to | Number of | |
Shareholder | Petitioner | Shares |
Stanley H. Brams | Petitioner | 6,730 |
John B. Brams | Son | 5,025 |
James O. Brams | Son | 5,025 |
Irving F. Keene | Attorney | 201 |
The Stanley H. Brams | ||
Trust | 2,814 | |
Treasury stock | 1,005 |
The purchase price of the L stock of $121,977.1 was paid in three installments of $24,396.32 in each of the years 1973, 1974, and 1975, and two payments of $24,395.42 in each of the years 1976 and 1977. At the time of C's purchase of the L stock, C had earnings and profits in excess of $121,977.11, the total purchase price of the L stock. In each of the years 1973 through 1976, C had earnings and profits in excess of the amount of each installment.
Petitioner reported no gain or loss on the exchange of his P stock for C stock and reported long-term capital gain on the sale of his L stock to C. The sale was reported as*769 an installment sale on petitioner's Federal income tax returns for 1973, 1974, 1975, and 1976.
Respondent issued his notice of deficiency on June 3, 1980. Respondent determined that the purported sale of L stock to C was a distribution in redemption of the stock of C and was taxable to petitioner as ordinary income under sections 301, 302, 304, 316, and 317.
OPINION
Petitioner owned 100 percent of the stock of L and P and some of the stock of C. It was decided that there was no longer any business reason to continue operating as three separate corporations, and it was decided to combine these operations. There was an exchange between C corporation and petitioner of 700 shares of C stock for all of petitioner's P stock. Since petitioner was a 100 percent shareholder of P, C corporation then owned 100 percent of the P stock and continued to operate P as its wholly-owned subsidiary. This exchange of petitioner's P stock for the 700 shares of C stock qualifies as a "B" reorganization under section 368(a)(1)(B), and thus petitioner recognizes no gain or loss on this stock-for-stock transaction under section 354. *770 transaction. There was also a purported installment sale of petitioner's 100 percent interest in L corporation to C corporation for a price of $121,977.11. The issues in this case involve the tax treatment of that sum.
*771 Respondent determined that the purported installment sale of L stock was a distribution in redemption of the stock of C corporation through the use of a related corporation under section 304(a)(1) and was taxable to petitioner as a dividend under sections 301, 302, and 316. Petitioner seeks to combine the "B" reorganization involving his P stock and the installment sale involving his L stock. He wishes to treat them as a single transaction whereby he exchanged his L and P stock for 700 shares of C stock, plus "other property or money" of $121,977.11, which transaction he says is governed by section 351 and hence entitled to capital gains treatment. Petitioner seems to concede that the transaction falls within section 304(a)(1), but to argue that both section 304(a)(1) and section 351 apply here but that section 351 must take precedence,
Respondent's determination that petitioner's purported installment sale of his L corporation stock to C corporation is includable in petitioner's gross income as a dividend is based on the combined operation of several sections of the Code. Under certain circumstances, section 304 provides that the purported sale of a taxpayer's stock to a corporation he controls is to be treated as a distribution in redemption of the acquiring corporation's stock. *773 For these purposes "control" is defined in section 304(c)(1) as the ownership of stock possessing at least 50 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote or at least 50 percent of the total value of shares of all classes of stock. Section 304(c)(3) expressly provides that the attribution rules relating to the constructive ownership of stock provided in section 318(a) *774 With respect to L corporation, petitioner satisfied the control requirement since he owned 100 percent of the L stock outright. Petitioner also had the required control of C corporation. He owned 31.6 percent outright (30 of 95 outstanding shares). Petitioner is also considered to own by attribution the stock owned directly or indirectly by his two sons, John B. Brams and James O. Brams. Sec. 318(a)(1)(A)(ii).They collectively owned 52.6 percent of C corporation stock outright (50 of 95 shares). Since the sons were the income beneficiaries of the Stanley H. Brams Trust, they are considered to own by attribution the stock which the trust owned in proportion to their actuarial interest in the trust. Sec. 318(a)(2)(B)(i). *775 Trust owned). Sec. 318(a)(5)(A). Thus the first condition as specified in section 304(a)(1)(A) has been satisfied. Petitioner had control of both C corporation and L corporation. The condition provided by section 304(a)(1)(B) requires that, in exchange for property, one of the corporations acquire stock in the other corporation from the person so in control. In the purported sale of L stock, C corporation exchanged property worth $121,977.11 in cash, marketable securities, and a promissory note to acquire the stock of L corporation from petitioner, the person in control of both corporations. The two preliminary conditions of section 304(a)(1) having been satisfied, section 304(a)(1) thus requires that the property (the $121,977.11) be treated as a distribution in redemption of C corporation stock. *776 governed by section 302 *777 None of the tests of section 302(b) having been satisfied, section 302(d) applies to treat the redemption as a distribution of property to which section 301 applies. Section 301(c)(1) provides: "That portion of the distribution which is a dividend (as defined in section 316) shall be included in gross income." Section 316 in turn defines a dividend as any distribution of property made by a corporation to its shareholders from current or accumulated earnings and profits. *778 Petitioner does not appear to dispute that the transaction satisfies the requirements of section 304. He argues instead that while the transaction comes within both section 304 and 351, it should be governed by section 351. Section 351 provides in pertinent part: SEC. 351. TRANSFER TO CORPORATION CONTROLLED BY TRANSFEROR. (a) (b) (1) gain (if any) to such recipient shall be recognized, but not in excess of-- (A) the amount*779 of money received, plus (B) the fair market value of such other property received; and (2) no loss to such recipient shall be recognized. *780 Petitioner bases his argument on Section 351(a) refers to section 368(c) for its definition of control. Section 368(c) *782 section 318 for purposes of determining whether the 80 percent control test of section 368(c) (and therefore section 351) is satisfied. Petitioner is incorrect in his interpretation of section 368(c). The attribution rules of section 318 do not apply to section 351 or section 368(c). Section 318(a) applies only to "those provisions of this subchapter to which the rules contained in this section [S]ection 318(a) expressly provides*783 that that section shall apply only "For purposes of those provisions of this subchapter to which the rules contained in this section are expressly made applicable--." Section 318 is not expressly made applicable to part III of subchapter C which includes section 368 containing the provisions dealing with corporate reorganizations. Consequently, the stock attribution rule of section 318(a)(3) relating to the ownership of stock subject to an option is not applicable to the stock ownership requirement regarding corporate control as defined by section 368(c). Respondent initially determined that petitioner received dividend income as each installment was received*784 in each of the years in issue. After this case was submitted we had occasion to consider whether installment treatment under section 453 was permissible where section 304 applied so as to treat the purported sale as a distribution to which section 301 applied. *785 To reflect the foregoing,
To satisfy the requirement of section 351(a) that he receive stock in the transferee (C) corporation, petitioner has argued that the two transactions involving his P stock and L stock be combined as one.
See also
1. All section references are to the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended and in effect during the taxable years involved, unless otherwise indicated.↩
2. According to the minutes of the meeting, in order to establish a value for L corporation, the business had been actively offered for sale at $150,000. Counteroffers had been received in amounts ranging from $105,000 to $110,000. The value of $115,000 plus receivables and accounts was agreed to be an accurate estimate of an open market sale price.↩
3. We note that the parties stipulated that a payment of $24,396.32 was made in 1973, and that is the figure reported on petitioner's tax return for that year.↩
4. SEC. 368. DEFINITIONS RELATING TO CORPORATE REORGANIZATIONS.
(a)
(1)
(B) the acquisition by one corporation, in exchange solely for all or a part of its voting stock (or in exchange solely for all or a part of the voting stock of a corporation which is in control of the acquiring corporation), of stock of another corporation if, immediately after the acquisition, the acquiring corporation has control of such other corporation (whether or not such acquiring corporation had control immediately before the acquisition);
Section 354 provides in pertinent part:
SEC. 354. EXCHANGES OF STOCK AND SECURITIES IN CERTAIN REORGANIZATIONS.
(a)
(1)
5. Section 304 provides in pertinent part:
SEC. 304.REDEMPTION THROUGH USE OF RELATED CORPORATIONS.
(a)
(1)
(A) one or more persons are in control of each of two corporations, and
(B) in return for property, one of the corporations acquires stock in the other corporation from the person (or persons) so in control,
then (unless paragraph (2) applies) such property shall be treated as a distribution in redemption of the stock of the corporation acquiring such stock. In any such case, the stock so acquired shall be treated as having been transferred by the person from whom acquired, and as having been received by the corporation acquiring it, as a contribution to the capital of such corporation.
(b)
(1)
(2)
(A)
(c)
(1)
(2)
6. SEC. 318. CONSTRUCTIVE OWNERSHIP OF STOCK.
(a)
(1)
(A)
(ii) his children, grandchildren, and parents.
(2)
(B)
(i) Stock owned, directly or indirectly, by or for a trust (other than an employees' trust described in section 401(a) which is exempt from tax under section 501(a) shall be considered as owned by its beneficiaries in proportion to the actuarial interest of such beneficiaries in such trust.
(ii) Stock owned, directly or indirectly, by or for any portion of a trust of which a person is considered the owner under subpart E of part I of subchapter J (relating to grantors and others treated as substantial owners) shall be considered as owned by such person.
(C)
7.
8. Pursuant to section 304(a)(1), the L stock acquired by C corporation is treated as a contribution by petitioner to the capital of C corporation.
9. SEC. 302. DISTRIBUTIONS IN REDEMPTION OF STOCK.
(a)
(b)
(1)
(2)
(A)
(3)
(c)
(1)
(d)
10. Section 316(a) provides:
(a)
(1) out of its earnings and profits accumulated after February 28, 1913, or
(2) out of its earnings and profits of the taxable year (computed as of the close of the taxable year without diminution by reason of any distributions made during the taxable year), without regard to the amount of the earnings and profits at the time the distribution was made.
Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, every distribution is made out of earnings and profits to the extent thereof, and from the most recently accumulated earnings and profits. To the extent that any distribution is, under any provision of this subchapter, treated as a distribution of property to which section 301 applies, such distribution shall be treated as a distribution of property for purposes of this subsection.↩
11. In
12. The litigation in
13. Under the rule of
14. While the Sixth Circuit has decided that section 351 governs when both section 304 and section 351 apply, the Ninth Circuit has said that section 304 would override section 351.
15. SEC. 368. DEFINITIONS RELATING TO CORPORATE REORGANIZATIONS.
(c)
16. We invited the parties to submit supplemental briefs limited solely to the question of whether installment sale treatment as provided by section 453 is applicable to this case. We also granted respondent's motion to amend his answer pursuant to