Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Taylor
Dissenting Opinion
(dissenting).
I am unable to agree that the interests which the nephews and nieces of the respondent received under his deed of trust were future interests within the meaning of Section 504(b) of the Revenue Act. Accordingly I think that the decision of the Board of Tax Appeals holding that the gifts in trust for the four nephews and
The case, in my view, is clearly distinguishable from United States v. Pelzer, 312 U.S. 399, 61 S.Ct. 659, 85 L.Ed. 913, and Ryerson v. United States, 312 U.S. 405, 61 S.Ct. 656, 85 L.Ed. 917, upon which the petitioner relies. In the Pelzer case income was directed to be accumulated for ten years and then distributed to a class the members of which could not be ascertained until that time. In the' Ryerson case insurance policies on the life of the donor were transferred in trust upon terms under which the beneficiaries were ascertainable only upon the happening of one or more uncertain future events, survivorship of one or more persons at the death of the donor. In neither case was there a definitely ascertained beneficiary of the income at the time of the gift or any provision for present distribution or use of that income.
In the case before us the respondent made a direct and absolute gift of present income to his nephews and nieces. In the case of each of the beneficiaries who was a minor, and all four of them were, he empowered his trustees to apply to the proper education and support of the minor during his minority so much of his income as was needed for that purpose and to accumulate the balance for distribution to him upon reaching his majority. While the accent in the respondent’s deed is on the accumulation rather than the disbursement for the minor’s education and support, the effect of the gift, it seems to me, was substantially the same as in the ordinary case of an ab-.Olute gift of income to a minor. The min- or being under a legal disability to receive it directly, the income in every such case must be expended for his benefit either by a guardian appointed by a court for him or by a trustee designated to do so by the don- or. In either case it becomes the fiduciary’s duty to expend only so much of the current income as'may be needed for the min- or’s proper education and support and to accumulate the balance until he comes of age.
It is suggested that the minors may receive the present benefit of only such income as the trustees in their sole discretion think proper to use for their education and support. But the discretion vested by the respondent in his trustees was not an arbitrary one. It was conferred upon them solely for the benefit of the minors and, if abused, would doubtless be subject to control by the appropriate tribunal. We must, therefore, assume for the purposes of this case that the minor beneficiaries here involved will receive present benefit from the respondent’s gifts to them insofar as they may need it for their education and support. I, therefore, conclude that the gifts to them were present gifts within the meaning of the Revenue Act.
In my view the case is indistinguishable in principle from our case of Commissioner v. Krebs, 3 Cir., 90 F.2d 880. I think that Welch v. Paine, 120 F.2d 141, recently decided in the First Circuit, is distinguishable on its facts. Insofar as its reasoning may be extended to the facts of this case, however, I think it wrong and I should decline to follow it.
Opinion of the Court
The respondent taxpayer seeks to avoid the impact of!k7vfery recent decision of the United Státfes Supreme Court.
“(a) Trustees shall divide the principal of this Trust iiito four equal shares, said shares being-represented respectively by the four children of Settlor’s brother, John M. Taylor, to wit: Priscilla Taylor, Ellis Taylor, John M.'Taylor,
“I. Trüsté'es
* * * * * *
“II. (c) Trustees shall hold the shares of minors in whom the- principal shall have vested, during their respective minorities, and during such time shall apply the income therefrom for the education and support of the respective minors.” Trust, Exhibit No. 2, Petitioner’s brief, pp. 21, 22.
The respondent claims the statutory
We think the Government’s position is clearly correct. It is true that the life estate in the instant case vests immediately and the accumulation is thereafter, whereas in United States v. Pelzer
“The term ‘future interests’ is comparatively new in legal literature. Littleton, Coke, and Blackstone speak of reversions, remainders, and other specific interests, but do not use the term ‘future interests.’ Blackstone uses the term ‘estates in expectancy.’ 2 Blackstone’s Comm. 163.
******
“A future interest may be described as an interest in land or other things in which the privilege of possession or of enjoyment is future and not present. The one essential is the possibility of future enjoyment.” 1 Simes, Law of Future Interests, § 1, pp. 2, 3 (italics ours).
To wbat extent this definition must have been in the legislative mind is manifest from the identical language of the Congressional Committee’s Report cited by Mr. Justice Stone in United States v. Pelzer, supra.
“The term ‘future interests in property’ refers to any interest or estate, whether vested or contingent, limited to commence in possession or enjoyment at a future date. The exemption being available only in so far as the donees are ascertainable, the denial of the exemption in the case of gifts of future interests is dictated by the apprehended difficulty, in many instances, of determining the number of eventual donees and the values of their respective gifts.” H. Rept. No. 708, 72d Cong., 1st Sess., p. 29; S.Rept.No.665, 72d Cong., 1st Sess., p. 41.
.The propriety of including the trust of the principal case within the definition is apparent in another aspect. Future interests are largely significant in the law because of a policy against the dead hand. The courts appraised the gift of prophesy and considered that one generation should not attempt economic control over another.
The Commissioner very fairly concedes that a stipulation based on an interpretation of then existing law necessitates the allowance of one $5,000 exclusion. The decision of the Board allowing the other three exclusions is reversed, and the cause is remanded with direction to reassess in accordance with this opinion.
26 U.S.C.A.Int.Rev.Acts, .page 585.,
312 U.S. 399, 61 S.Ct. 659; 661, 85 L.Ed. 913.
1 and 2 Restatement of the Law of Property (American Law' Institute) §§
Cf. Article XI of Treasury Regulation 79, 1933 and 1936 editions.
Accumulations of Income at Common Law, 54 Harvard Law Review 839, 841.
Gray, The Rule Against Perpetuities, Chapter 20, Accumulations.
Thellusson v. Woodford, 4 Ves.Jr. 227 (Ch. 1799), aff’d, 11 Ves.Jr. 112 (H.L. 1805); cf. Hargrave, The Thellusson Act (1842) 1-39; Barry, Mr. Thellusson’s Will, 22 Virginia Law Review 416; 2 Simes, Law of Future Interests. § 588; Leach, Cases on Future Interests, 2d Ed. 1940, 815.
39 & 40 Geo. III, c. 98 (1800).
Accumulations of Income at Common Law, 54 Harvard Law Review 839; ■Simes, Statutory Restrictions on the Accumulation of Income, 7 University of Chicago Law Review 409; Accumulations — Direction to Accumulate Income from Large Estate for Perpetuities Period Held Invalid, 40 Columbia Law Review 1430; cf. Chaplin, Accumulation— Death of the Minor, 14 Cornell Law Quarterly 2S9.
20 P.S.Pa. § 3251.
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