United States v. Heasty
United States v. Heasty
Opinion of the Court
Appellees brought suit below to recover a refund of federal estate taxes they alleged the government erroneously assessed and collected. From an adverse
The stipulated facts reveal the following : The decedent, George A. Creekmore, whose estate the. government taxed, acquired several tracts of land during his lifetime, he alone supplying the entire consideration. In 1946, Creekmore conveyed his land through a “strawman” to himself and his wife, Carrie Creekmore, as joint tenants with right of survivor-ship. As required by the Internal Revenue Service, a gift tax was paid. In 1948, Mr. and Mrs. Creekmore conveyed the realty to their daughters and grandchildren, reserving to themselves joint life estates with right of survivorship. As required by the Internal Revenue Service, a gift tax was paid on each conveyance. Carrie Creekmore died June 26, 1952. No estate tax was pair since her gross estate was less than $60,000.00. George Creekmore died July 28, 1960. The Commissioner has included in his taxable estate the full value of the realty and assessed taxes thereon. Appellees, decedent’s heirs, paid the tax so assessed and filed suit for a refund, alleging that only one-half of the value of the realty should be included in the taxable estate. The District Court rendered judgment for the heirs. The government appeals, contending the estate should include the full value of the realty.
Section 2001 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, 26 U.S.C., imposes a tax on the transfer of “the taxable estate * * * of every decedent, citizen or resident of the United States * * The taxable estate is the value of the gross estate minus certain exemptions and deductions 26 U.S.C. § 2051. The parties have stipulated the value of realty includible in the decedent’s gross estate depends upon a construction and application of section 2036 of the 1954 Code. That section, as applicable to this case, reads as follows i
“(a) General rule. — The value of the gross estate shall include the value of all property (except real property situated outside of the United States) to the extent of any interest therein of which the decedent has at any time made a transfer (except in case of a bona fide sale for an adequate and full consideration in money or money’s worth), by trust or otherwise, under which he has retained for his life or for any period not ascertainable without reference to his death or for any period which does not in fact end before his death—
“(1) the possession or enjoyment of, or the right to the income from, the property, or
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The District Court found under Kansas and Oklahoma real property law, the decedent, since he had earlier given his wife a one-half interest, could transfer only one-half of the realty in 1948. Applying section 2036 decedent thus “made a transfer” of only one-half of the realty and only that amount is includible in the gross estate.
The government's contentions may be summarized as follows: The decedent acquired the realty in his name alone, entirely with his own funds. He thereafter conveyed the property to himself and his wife as joint tenants. Had he died at that point, the full value of the property would have been includible in his estate under section 2040 of the 1954 Code.
Recognizing that numerous cases from other Circuits and the Tax Court are in conflict with its position
The government also relies on United States v. O’Malley, 383 U.S. 627, 86 S.Ct. 1123, 16 L.Ed.2d 145. In this case, which also involved the 1939 Code,
The government has made much the same argument to the Seventh Circuit as it now makes to this Court. Its theory was rejected there
Affirmed.
. The statute was amended in 1962 by Public Law 87-834, § 18(a) (2) (D), 76 Stat. 1052 to eliminate the exception previously available to real property situated outside of the United States.
. “§ 2040. JOINT INTERESTS.”
“The value of the gross estate shall include the value of all property (except real property situated outside of the United States) to the extent of the interest therein held as joint tenants by the decedent and any other person, or as tenants by the entirety by the decedent and spouse, or deposited, with any person carrying on the banking business, in their joint names and payable to either or the survivor, except such part thereof as may be shown to have originally belonged to such other person and never to have been received or acquired by the*527 latter from the decedent for less than an adequate and full consideration in money or money’s worth: Provided, That where such property or any part thereof, or part of the consideration with which such property was acquired, is shown to have been at any time acquired by such other person from the decedent for less than an adequate and full consideration in money or money’s worth, there shall be excepted only such part of the value of such property as is proportionate to the consideration furnished by such other person: Provided further, That where any property has been acquired by gift, bequest, devise, or inheritance, as a tenancy by the entirety by the decedent and spouse, then to the extent of one-half of the value thereof, or, where so acquired by the decedent any other person as joint tenants and their interests are not otherwise specified or fixed by law, then to the extent of the value of a fractional part to be determined by dividing the value of the property by the number of joint tenants.” This section was amended In 1962 by Public Law 87-884, § 18(a) (2) (G), 76 Stat. 1052, which eliminated the provision excepting real property outside of the United States.
. 26 U.S.C. § 2036.
. Sullivan’s Estate v. Commissioner, 9 Cir., 175 F.2d 657; Brockway’s Estate v. Commissioner, 9 Cir., 219 F.2d 400; Hornor’s Estate v. Commissioner, 3 Cir., 130 F.2d 649; Glaser v. United States, 7 Cir., 306 F.2d 57; Estate of Borner v. Commissioner, 25 T.C. 584; Estate of Carnall v. Commissioner, 25 T.C. 654.
. 1939 Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. § 811(c). It is important to note that subsection (c) included a provision (§ 811(c) (1) (A)) relating to contemplation of death as well as a provision substantially like the present § 2036 (§ 811 (c) (1) (B) (ii).
. United States v. Allen, supra, 293 F.2d at 918.
. 26 U.S.C. § 811(c) (1) (B) (ii).
. Glaser v. United States, 7 Cir., 306 F.2d 57.
. Glaser, supra, 306 F.2d at 60, citing Treas.Reg., section 20.2040-1.
. Sullivan’s Estate v. Commissioner, 9 Cir., 175 F.2d 657; Glaser v. United States, 7 Cir., 306 F.2d 57; Cf. United States v. Akin, et al., 10 Cir., 248 F.2d 742, cert. denied, 355 U.S. 956, 78 S.Ct. 542, 2 L.Ed. 532 and In re Sweet’s Estate, 10 Cir., 234 F.2d 401, cert. denied, 352 U.S. 878, 77 S.Ct. 100, 1 L.Ed.2d 79.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- United States v. Eugene HEASTY, ancillary of the estate of Fern C. King, and Eula F. Robbins, Fern C. King and Eula F. Robbins, being the sole and only heirs of George A. Creekmore
- Cited By
- 5 cases
- Status
- Published