U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, 1934

Lit v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit · Decided July 20, 1934 · Woolley, Dayis, Thompson

72 F.2d 551; 14 A.F.T.R. (P-H) 481; 1934 U.S. App. LEXIS 4619; 1934 U.S. Tax Cas. (CCH) 9400; 14 A.F.T.R. (RIA) 481 (Federal Reporter, Second Series)

Counsel

Wm. Clarke Mason and Henry Gross, both of Philadelphia, Pa., for Lit estate., Prank J. Widomnn, Asst. Atty. Gen., and Sewall Key and Helen R. Carloss, Sp. Assts. to Atty. Gen., for the United States., Carroll G. Walter, of New York City, amicus curias.

Cases that cite this one

9 later published cases cite this decision.

Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. CITY BANK FARMERS'T. CO. (2d Cir. 1934)
Koshland v. Commissioner (United States Tax Court 1948)
Thorp's Estate v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue (3d Cir. 1947)
Keefe v. Broderick (District Court, D. Rhode Island 1939)
Commissioner v. Kaplan (1st Cir. 1939)
Lit v. United States (District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania 1937)
Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Schwarz (2d Cir. 1935)
Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Strauss (7th Cir. 1935)
Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Stevens (3d Cir. 1935)

This list shows which later cases cite this one. It does not say how they treated it, and no review of that has been done. Not a substitute for Shepard’s or KeyCite — verify before relying.

Opinion

THOMPSON, Circuit Judge.

These are cross-appeals from a decision of the Board of Tax Appeals. In 1923 Samuel D. Lit transferred shares of stock to a trustee in accordance with the terms of a trust agreement. The trustee was to pay the income to Rosa L. Lit, the settlor’s wife, for life and, upon her death, to the settlor for life witli remainder to the settlor’s son, David J. Lit. The settlor reserved the right to revoke the trust. In 1924 the trustee, the settlor, and tlie two beneficiaries executed an agreement providing, inter alia, that tlie trust might be revoked or amended by agreement of tlie settlor and both beneficiaries. In 3927 the trust was revoked by agreement of all the parties in interest, and a new agreement was executed providing that the trust might be revoked, altered, or amended by tlie settlor with the consent of Rosa L. Lit, the beneficiary of the life estate. The settlor died in 1929 and was survived by his wife and son.

The executors of the settlor’s estate in their tax return omitted from his gross estate the value of the eorpus of the trust. The Commissioner of Internal Revenue included the entire value of the trust in the gross estate and assessed a deficiency. Upon petition by tlie executors for redetermiuation of the assessment, the Board of Tax Appeals rendered a decision in which it exempted from ilio estate tax the value of the life estate of Rosa L. Lit and held, as subject to tax, the value of the remainder. Botli the Commissioner a.nd the executors have petitioned for review of the decision of tlie Board of Tax Appeals.

Tlio issues raised involve the construction of section 302 (e) (d) (h) of the Revenue Act of 1926 (26 USCA § 1094 (c, d, h).

We have given careful consideration to the arguments of the attorneys for the respective parties. Nevertheless, upon review of tlio findings of fact and opinion of the Board of Tax Appeals, wo find omselves in entire accord with the reasoning and conclusions set out in its decision. 28 B. T. A. 853.

The decision of the Board of Ta,x Appeals in both appeals is affirmed.

Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.