DocketNumber: Docket No. 9591-82.
Filed Date: 9/17/1985
Status: Non-Precedential
Modified Date: 11/20/2020
MEMORANDUM OPINION
GERBER,
Petitioner resided in Hamilton, Ohio, at the time of filing his petition with this Court. 1985 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*151 purchased a 5.228-acre parcel of land from Sea Pines Plantation Company (Sea Pines) for $630,000. Petitioner gave Sea Pines his $480,000 personal note in partial payment for the land. Pursuant to the Twin Oaks Company joint venture agreement, petitioner prior to the purchase had obtained Sea Pines' consent to the assignment of petitioner's rights in the property to Twin Oaks Company.
On June 28, 1975, petitioner, Moore and Seinsheimer terminated the joint venture, and petitioner and Seinsheimer formed a limited partnership under the same name as the joint venture (Twin Oaks Company) with petitioner as the only general partner and Seinsheimer as the only limited partner. On July 24, 1975, Moore became a limited partner by acquiring one-half of Seinsheimer's interest. The limited partnership agreement provided that the general partner would receive 50 percent of the profits and losses, and the limited partners the other 50 percent. The agreement further provided that the partnership would pay the general partner a fee of $41,000 for managing the business.
Twin Oaks Company subsequently borrowed a total of $3,275,000 from Mellon National Mortgage Company of Ohio (Mellon) for acquisition1985 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*152 of an additional 3.3 acres of land on Hilton Head Island and for construction of the Twin Oaks Villas condominium complex. Petitioner, Seinsheimer and Seinsheimer's wife, Dixie Lee Seinsheimer, unconditionally and personally guaranteed repayment of this amount.
Twin Oaks Company was general contractor for construction of Twin Oaks Villas and used numerous subcontractors for the project, who were paid with loan proceeds. Twin Oaks Villas ultimately included 41 condominium units, which were constructed between 1975 and 1978. Twin Oaks Company provided a swimming pool and deck, a shed, fencing and landscaping as part of Twin Oaks Villas. Financing for condominium purchasers was arranged through South Carolina Federal Savings and Loan Association (South Carolina Federal).
During 1977, Twin Oaks Company sold 14 condominiums at a total sales price of $1,489,375. The cost of the condominiums plus the portion of the cost of the pool and other common amenities allocable to these units was $1,176,512. During 1978, Twin Oaks Company sold 14 condominiums at a total sales price of $1,503,020. The cost of the condominiums plus the portion of the cost of the amenities allocable to the1985 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*153 units was $1,230,410.
During the taxable years 1977 and 1978, petitioner was general partner and Seinsheimer and Moore were limited partners in a second limited partnership called Twin Oaks II. This limited partnership was formed March 14, 1977, for the purpose of developing additional residential units on Hilton Head Island. The Twin Oaks II limited partnership agreement provided that petitioner would receive 50 percent of the net profits and losses and Seinsheimer and Moore 25 percent each. The agreement further provided for payment of a management fee to petitioner, in an amount to be agreed upon by the partners, for his services in connection with the management of the partnership's affairs. In 1977, petitioner contributed $50,000 in cash to Twin Oaks II while Seinsheimer and Moore each contributed $25,000. No additional cash contributions were made to Twin Oaks II through December 31, 1978.
On September 12, 1977, Twin Oaks II pruchased 8.710 acres of land located at Hilton Head Island from Sea Pines for $700,100. Twin Oaks Company and Twin Oaks II borrowed $600,000 of the purchase price from Allomon Corporation. Petitioner, Seinsheimer and Dixie Lee Seinsheimer unconditionally1985 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*154 and personally guaranteed repayment of the loan.
Twin Oaks Company and Twin Oaks II subsequently borrowed a total of $3,600,000 from Mellon for construction of the Racquet Club Villas condominium complex and for payment of the unpaid principal balance of indebtedness of Twin Oaks II to Allomon Corporation. Petitioner, Seinsheimer and Dixie Lee Seinsheimer unconditionally and personally guaranteed repayment of this amount.
Twin Oaks II was general contractor for construction of Racquet Club Villas and used numerous subcontractors for the project. Racquet Club Villas ultimately included 63 condominiums, which were constructed between 1977 and 1978. Twin Oaks II provided a swimming pool, concrete and wood decks, fencing, a pool house, tennis courts, a shed, and landscaping as part of Racquet Club Villas. Financing for condominium purchasers was arranged through South Carolina Federal.
During 1978, Twin Oaks II sold 62 of the condominiums and certain property on Magnolia Lane at a total sales price of $4,657,382.40. The cost of the condominiums and the Magnolia Lane property, plus the portion of the cost of the common amenities allocable to the condominiums was $3,455,650.
1985 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*155 On his individual income tax return for 1977, petitioner reported $185,393 in personal service income from partnerships on a Form 4726 (Maximum Tax on Personal Service Income). For 1977, Twin Oaks Company reported on petitioner's Schedule K-1 (Form 1065, Partner's Share of Income, Credits, Deductions, etc. - 1977) as distributive share items $41,544 in guaranteed payments and $162,608 in ordinary income to petitioner, and Twin Oaks II reported on petitioner's Schedule K-1 (Form 1065) as distributive share items $2,541 in guaranteed payments and $21,300 in ordinary loss. On his individual income tax return for 1978, petitioner reported $612,955 in personal service income from partnerships on a Form 4726. For 1978, Twin Oaks Company reported on petitioner's Schedule K-1 (Form 1065) as distributive share items $15,300 in guaranteed payments and $137,454 in ordinary income to petitioner, and Twin Oaks II reported on petitioner's Schedule K-1 (Form 1065) as distributive share items $23,400 in guaranteed payments and $436,801 in ordinary income.
In the statutory notice of deficiency, respondent determined petitioner's personal service net income from Twin Oaks Company and Twin Oaks1985 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*156 II to be $55,618 for 1977 and $183,886 for 1978. These amounts represent 30 percent of the total personal service net income from the partnerships claimed by petitioner on his individual income tax returns for those years.
At a time when the marginal tax rates exceeded 50 percent, Congress enacted section 1348 to place a 50-percent ceiling on personal service income. Because the maximum marginal income tax rate was reduced to 50 percent or less for taxable years beginning after December 31, 1981, Congress repealed section 1348 as of January 1, 1982.
For its effective years, section 1348 1985 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*157 share of the net profits of such trade or business, shall be considered as earned income.
1985 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*158 Respondent determined that both personal services and capital were material income-producing factors with respect to petitioner's income from Twin Oaks Company and Twin Oaks II and, in accord with section 911(b) as applied to section 1348, proposed to limit petitioner's earned income from these activities to 30 percent of his share of the net profits. Petitioner contends that capital was not a material income-producing factor for the partnerships, and that all amounts he received are earned income. The Role of Capital in Producing Petitioner's Income
Whether capital is a material income-producing factor must be determined by reference to all the facts of each case. Capital is a material income-producing factor if a substantial portion of the gross income of1985 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*159 the business is attributable to the employment of capital in the business, as reflected, for example, by a substantial investment in inventories, plant, machinery, or other equipment. In general, capital is not a material income-producing factor where gross income of the business consists principally of fees, commissions, or other compensation for personal services performed by an individual. Thus, the practice of his profession by a doctor, dentist, lawyer, architect, or accountant will not, as such, be treated as a trade or business in which capital is a material income-producing factor even though the practitioner may have a substantial capital investment in professional equipment or in the physical plant constituting the office from which he conducts his practice since his capital investment is regarded as only incidental to his professional practice.
This Court and others have adopted and regularly employed these criteria. See, e.g.,
Both capital and personal services are often1985 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*160 combined in a business to produce income. In such instances the 30 percent limitation still applies if capital is found to be a material income-producing factor.
Petitioner asserts that income he received from the partnerships was for services he provided to condominium purchasers. Petitioner describes his services as selecting the sites for the projects and negotiating their acquisition, negotiating financing, aiding in design of the projects, hiring and supervising subcontractors, obtaining zoning, construction permits and utilities, 1985 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*161 and selling the condominium units. Any use of capital, petitioner suggests, was merely incidental to providing these services.
We believe that petitioner overemphasizes the significance of personal services in producing the partnerships' income. Other than petitioner's compensation from the partnerships for management services (which is discussed later herein), neither petitioner nor the partnerships were specifically paid for services rendered. In contrast, the following cases cited by petitioner concern taxpayers who were specifically paid for their services:
In addition, petitioner argues that the partnerships had minimal capital investments. 1985 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*163 He asserts that the partnerships had no inventory and relatively small amounts of office furniture and other equipment. Petitioner cites
Petitioner further argues that borrowed capital used to purchase the land and to develop the condominium complexes should not be considered in deciding whether capital was material in producing his income. In
Petitioner thus suggests that the source of capital is relevant under section 1348 where certain types of financial arrangements or dispositions of funds are made. Neither
This case bears similarity to three other cases involving earned income from real estate development,
In
In
In limiting petitioner's earned income for 1977 and 1978 from Twin Oaks Company and Twin Oaks II to 30 percent of petitioner's share of the net profits of the partnerships,1985 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*169 respondent included in petitioner's share all amounts received from the partnerships. Petitioner contends that that in so doing respondent erred because petitioner is entitled to exclude guaranteed payments for management services from the 30-percent limitation.
Guaranteed payments are determined without regard to the income of a partnership. Sec. 707(c). Since petitioner's $41,000 management fee from Twin Oaks Company was not dependent on the income of the partnership, it represents a guaranteed payment.
(3)
The Tax Court and the Second Circuit have upheld the validity of this regulation.
Petitioner maintains that Congress intended that individuals doing business in corporate form and individuals conducting business in partnership form be similarly treated, and that the regulation, which is inapplicable to individuals doing business in corporate form, thereby conflicts with Congress' intent. Petitioner supports his argument by reference to S. Rept. 95-1263, 1978-3 C.B. (Vol. 1) 315, 506, and H. Rept. 95-1800, 1978-3 C.B. (Vol. 1) 521, 603, which discuss changes in section 1348 made by the Revenue Act of 1978.
Section 442(a), Revenue Act of 1978, Pub. L. 95-600, 92 Stat. 2763, 2878, removed the 30-percent limitation on the amount of income that can be treated as personal services income where capital is an income-producing factor,
Petitioner further argues that the regulation's 30-percent limitation on earned income from guaranteed payments is contrary to the holding of the Sixth Circuit in
Petitioner additionally cites the1985 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*174 following cases to argue that the regulation is invalid:
In conclusion, petitioner's arguments do not persuade us that
To reflect the foregoing,
*. By order of the Chief Judge, this case was reassigned from Judge Herbert L. Chabot to Judge Joel Gerber↩ for disposition.
1. Unless otherwise indicated, all statutory references are to the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended and in effect for the taxable years at issue.
Sec. 1348 was repealed by the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981, Pub. L. 97-34, 95 Stat. 172, effective for taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 1981.↩
2. The stipulation of facts lists Hilton Head Isle, S.C., as petitioner's legal residence. On brief, however, the parties each requested that we find Hamilton, Ohio, the address listed on petitioner's tax returns for 1977 and 1978, as petitioner's legal residence.↩
3. Sec. 1348 provided in pertinent part:
(a) General Rule.--If for any taxable year an individual has personal service taxable income which exceeds the amount of taxable income specified in paragraph (1), the tax imposed by section 1 for such year shall * * * be the sum of--
(1) the tax imposed by section 1 on the highest amount of taxable income on which the rate of tax does not exceed 50 percent,
(2) 50 percent of the amount by which his personal service taxable income exceeds the amount of taxable income specified in paragraph (1) of this subsection, and
(3) the excess of the tax computed under section 1 without regard to this section over the tax so computed with reference solely to his personal service taxable income.
(b) Definitions.--For purposes of this section--
(1) Personal service income.--
(A) In beneral.--The term "personal service income" means any income which is earned income within the meaning of section 401(c)(2)(C) or section 911(b) * * *.
* * *
(2) Personal service taxable income.--The personal service taxable income of an individual is the excess of--
(A) the amount which bears the same ratio (but not in excess of 100 percent) to his taxable income as his personal service net income bears to his adjusted gross income, over
(B) the sum of the items of tax preference (as defined in section 57) for the taxable year.
For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term "personal service net income" means personal service income reduced by any deductions allowable under section 62 which are properly allocable to or chargeable against such earned income.
* * *↩
4. Petitioner contended in his petition that respondent erred by maintaining that petitioner's claimed personal service income is not earned income under sec. 401(c)(2)(C). Petitioner abandoned this argument on brief.↩
5. Petitioner attempts to distinguish
Petitioner also maintains that
6. Petitioner argues that
7. The parties have not explained by petitioner received a total of $56,844 in amounts reported as guaranteed payments by Twin Oaks Company when its limited partnership agreement set a $41,000 management fee, nor have they explained why petitioner received a total of $25,941 in amounts reported by Twin Oaks II as guaranteed payments when its limited partnership agreement did not specify an amount for petitioner's management fee. Our holding in this case renders this quantitative factual question moot.↩
8. We note that the congressional reports cited by petitioner were issued prior to our decision in
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