Business Related Issues
Bad Jumbo

Smaldino v. Commissioner
T.C. Memo. 2021-127

On November 10, 2021, the Tax Court issued a Memorandum Opinion in the case of Smaldino v. Commissioner (T.C. Memo. 2021-127). The primary issues presented in Smaldino were whether (1) the proper characterization for gift tax purposes of petitioner’s purported transfer of LLC class B member interests to Mrs. Smaldino followed by her purported retransfer of these same interests to the Dynasty Trust and (2) the fair market value of the LLC class B member

Read More »
Scott St. Amand March 31, 2022
Aunt Ethel

Deducting Charitable Contributions from a Trust that Does not Permit Charitable Contributions

Uncle Bill comes to your office in a bit of a tizzy with two beers in one hand and three notices from the IRS in the other.  Unbeknownst to you, he wants to discuss deducting charitable contributions from a trust that doesn’t, technically, permit charitable contributions.  Although you are not unaccustomed to his unannounced visits, they are nevertheless jarring at 7:15 on a Tuesday morning. You note that Aunt Ethel recently explained that Bill has

Read More »
Scott St. Amand April 29, 2021
Business Related Issues
Amortization under IRC § 197

Complex Media Inc. v. Commissioner
T.C. Memo. 2021-14

On February 10, 2021, the Tax Court issued a Memorandum Opinion in the case of Complex Media Inc. v. Commissioner (T.C. Memo. 2021-14). The primary issue presented in Complex Media Inc. v. Commissioner  was whether a taxpayer was eligible to disavow the form of its transactions (an asset transfer) when the alternative form achieves a tax benefit “not inconsistent” with the taxpayer’s initial tax planning and structuring of the transactions. Background to Complex Media Inc.

Read More »
Scott St. Amand February 10, 2021
Income Tax Issues
Substance Over Form Argument

Watts v. Commissioner
T.C. Memo. 2020-144

On October 15, 2020, the Tax Court issued a Memorandum Opinion in the case of Watts v. Commissioner (T.C. Memo. 2020-143). The issues before the court in Watts v. Commissioner were (1) whether the “Danielson rule” applies to limit the invocation of the substance-over-form doctrine by taxpayers in certain cases; and (2) if so, whether petitioners proved that the Watts family had a separate, enforceable oral agreement with Wellspring that predated the purchase by Sun

Read More »
Scott St. Amand October 15, 2020
Business Related Issues
Blame Kentucky

Deckard v. Commissioner
155 T.C. No. 8

On September 17, 2020, the Tax Court issued its opinion in Deckard v. Commissioner (155 T.C. No. 8). The primary issue presented in Deckard v. Commissioner was whether as the officer and director of a Kentucky non-stock, non-profit corporation (as constrained by Kentucky law and the company’s articles of incorporation), the taxpayer had an ownership interest in the company equivalent to that of a shareholder for purposes of applying the passthrough loss provisions of subchapter

Read More »
Scott St. Amand September 17, 2020
Business Related Issues
Economic Substance Doctrine

Daichman v. Commissioner
T.C. Memo. 2020-126

On August 31, 2020, the Tax Court issued a Memorandum Opinion in the case of Daichman v. Commissioner (T.C. Memo. 2020-126). The primary issue before the court in Daichman v. Commissioner was whether the petitioners are entitled to a short-term capital loss deduction of $2.1 million in connection with the dissolution of their S corporation or whether their tax transactions lacked economic substance. Brief Background to the Shenanigans in Daichman v. Commissioner During 2009 the

Read More »
Scott St. Amand August 31, 2020
Income Tax Issues
Bad Advice

Cuthbertson v. Commissioner
T.C. Memo. 2020-9

On January 14, 2020, the Tax Court issued a Memorandum Opinion in the case of Cuthbertson v. Commissioner (T.C. Memo. 2020-9). The issues presented in Cuthbertson v. Commissioner were (1) whether the petitioners were entitled to loss deductions arising from the sale or abandonment of golf course improvements, and (2) whether the installment method of accounting was an appropriate method of accounting to report the transfer of property between two companies, both wholly owned by

Read More »
Scott St. Amand January 14, 2020
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pocket
Email
Print

Most popular tagged posts:

Smaldino v. Commissioner
T.C. Memo. 2021-127

On November 10, 2021, the Tax Court issued a Memorandum Opinion in the case of Smaldino v. Commissioner (T.C. Memo. 2021-127). The primary issues presented in Smaldino were whether (1) the proper characterization for gift tax purposes of petitioner’s purported transfer of LLC class B member interests to Mrs. Smaldino

Read More »
Scott St. Amand March 31, 2022

Complex Media Inc. v. Commissioner
T.C. Memo. 2021-14

On February 10, 2021, the Tax Court issued a Memorandum Opinion in the case of Complex Media Inc. v. Commissioner (T.C. Memo. 2021-14). The primary issue presented in Complex Media Inc. v. Commissioner  was whether a taxpayer was eligible to disavow the form of its transactions (an asset transfer) when

Read More »
Scott St. Amand February 10, 2021

Watts v. Commissioner
T.C. Memo. 2020-144

On October 15, 2020, the Tax Court issued a Memorandum Opinion in the case of Watts v. Commissioner (T.C. Memo. 2020-143). The issues before the court in Watts v. Commissioner were (1) whether the “Danielson rule” applies to limit the invocation of the substance-over-form doctrine by taxpayers in certain cases;

Read More »
Scott St. Amand October 15, 2020

Deckard v. Commissioner
155 T.C. No. 8

On September 17, 2020, the Tax Court issued its opinion in Deckard v. Commissioner (155 T.C. No. 8). The primary issue presented in Deckard v. Commissioner was whether as the officer and director of a Kentucky non-stock, non-profit corporation (as constrained by Kentucky law and the company’s articles of incorporation),

Read More »
Scott St. Amand September 17, 2020

Daichman v. Commissioner
T.C. Memo. 2020-126

On August 31, 2020, the Tax Court issued a Memorandum Opinion in the case of Daichman v. Commissioner (T.C. Memo. 2020-126). The primary issue before the court in Daichman v. Commissioner was whether the petitioners are entitled to a short-term capital loss deduction of $2.1 million in connection with the

Read More »
Scott St. Amand August 31, 2020

Cuthbertson v. Commissioner
T.C. Memo. 2020-9

On January 14, 2020, the Tax Court issued a Memorandum Opinion in the case of Cuthbertson v. Commissioner (T.C. Memo. 2020-9). The issues presented in Cuthbertson v. Commissioner were (1) whether the petitioners were entitled to loss deductions arising from the sale or abandonment of golf course improvements, and (2)

Read More »
Scott St. Amand January 14, 2020