T.C. Memo. 2005-103
UNITED STATES TAX COURT
ESTATE OF AUSTIN KORBY, DECEASED, AUSTIN KORBY, JR., TRUSTEE OF
THE AUSTIN AND EDNA KORBY LIVING TRUST, AND ESTATE OF AUSTIN
KORBY, DECEASED, TRANSFEROR, AUSTIN KORBY, JR., TRUSTEE OF THE
AUSTIN AND EDNA KORBY LIVING TRUST, TRANSFEREE, Petitioners v.
COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Docket No. 18452-02. Filed May 10, 2005.
David W. Johnson and James A. Beitz, for petitioners.
Helen H. Keuning, for respondent.
MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION
GOEKE, Judge: Respondent determined a deficiency of
$1,070,482 in the Federal estate tax of the Estate of Austin
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Korby (the estate).1 After concessions, there are two issues
remaining for decision.
(1) Is the value of the assets Austin and Edna Korby
(Austin and Edna or the Korbys) transferred to the Korby
Properties, A Limited Partnership (KPLP), includable in the gross
estate under sections 20362 and 2038? We hold that 58.46 percent
of KPLP’s value is includable under section 2036(a)(1).
(2) Is the value of an annuity purchased in 1995 includable
in the gross estate? We hold that the value of the 1995 annuity
is so includable.
FINDINGS OF FACT
Some of the facts have been stipulated and are so found.
The stipulation of facts, supplemental stipulation of facts,
second supplemental stipulation of facts, and attached exhibits
are incorporated herein by this reference. At the time the
petition was filed, the mailing address for the estate was in
Fergus Falls, Minnesota, and Austin Dennis Korby, Jr. (Dennis),
Austin and Edna’s son and the trustee of the Austin and Edna
1
Respondent also determined a deficiency with respect to the
estate of Austin Korby’s wife, Edna Korby, who died 5 months
before Austin. The issues concerning Edna’s estate are addressed
in a separate Memorandum Findings of Fact and Opinion of this
Court.
2
Unless otherwise indicated, all section references are to
the Internal Revenue Code in effect for the date of the
decedent’s death, and all Rule references are to the Tax Court
Rules of Practice and Procedure.
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Korby Living Trust (the living trust), resided in Fergus Falls,
Minnesota. Austin died in Minnesota.
I. Background
Austin and Edna were married in 1948. They had four sons:
Dennis, Gary Alan Korby, Donald Wayne Korby, and Steven Glen
Korby. In 1993, Austin was 79 years old and Edna was 69 years
old. In February 1993, Edna was diagnosed with severe
Alzheimer’s dementia. She resided in Pelican Lake Health Care
Center, a nursing home, from mid-February 1993 until she died on
July 3, 1998, from progressive dementia. Before 1993, Austin
suffered a stroke and was diagnosed with Type II diabetes,
hypertension, and cardiac arrhythmias. During 1993, Austin was
diagnosed with atrial fibrillation with slow ventricular
response. In August 1996, Austin was hospitalized for pneumonia
and an episode of congestive heart failure. As a result, he
entered a nursing home for several weeks. Austin’s health
deteriorated after this episode. In the fall of 1998, Austin was
hospitalized again for pneumonia and was later transferred to a
nursing home, where he lived until his death. On December 2,
1998, Austin died of coronary artery disease, diabetes, and
pneumonia.
II. The Austin & Edna Korby Living Trust
In 1993, Austin and Dennis met with an attorney specializing
in estate planning. On June 2, 1993, with the assistance of the
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estate attorney, Austin and Edna formed the living trust as
cotrustmakers. Austin and Dennis were the only trustees of the
living trust from its inception until Austin’s death on December
2, 1998. Edna was never a trustee of the living trust. The
living trust gave Austin and Edna the authority to control and
direct payments from the living trust, add or remove living trust
property, and amend or revoke the living trust.
Between 1993 and spring 1995, the following assets of the
Korbys were transferred to the living trust: (1) A money market
account; (2) a house in Fergus Falls, Minnesota; (3) a vacant lot
in Fergus Falls, Minnesota; (4) a checking account; (5) a savings
account; (6) household furnishings and items; (7) a 1-percent
general partnership interest in Crane Properties, A Limited
Partnership (Crane Properties); (8) a 2-percent general
partnership interest in KPLP; and (9) the Korbys’ monthly Social
Security checks. During 1993, the living trust also opened a
checking account.
III. KPLP
On March 26, 1994, KPLP was formed under the Minnesota
Limited Partnership Act with the help of the estate attorney who
had been involved in the formation of the living trust. Austin,
Edna, and each of their sons signed the KPLP limited partnership
agreement (the KPLP agreement) as limited partners on March 26,
1994. The living trust was the sole general partner of KPLP from
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its formation until 1999. Austin and Dennis signed the KPLP
agreement as cotrustees of the living trust. The KPLP agreement
provided for management fees to be paid to the general partner
“to be measured by the time required to manage and administer the
partnership, by the value of property under the general
partner(s) administration, and by the responsibilities the
general partner(s) assume in discharging of the duties of
office.” The general partner was to decide the amounts of the
management fees. The KPLP agreement also required KPLP to
reimburse the general partner for “all reasonable and necessary
business expenses incurred in managing and administering the
partnership.”
KPLP was not funded and did not commence business until
spring 1995; therefore, KPLP did not file a tax return for 1994.
In 1995, the living trust transferred the money market account
with a balance of $37,841 to KPLP. In exchange, the living trust
received a 2-percent general partnership interest. Also in 1995,
the Korbys transferred the following assets to KPLP: (1) Stocks
valued at $1,330,442; (2) State and municipal bonds valued at
$449,378; and (3) U.S. savings bonds worth $71,043 (the
transferred assets).3 In exchange, Austin and Edna received a
98-percent limited partnership interest. Austin and Edna then
3
In 1994, the Korbys reported income from these assets of
$75,429.
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gave 24.5-percent limited partnership interests to irrevocable
trusts created for each of their four sons. Approximately 90
percent of the transferred assets had been held by Austin and
Edna in joint tenancy. The remaining 10 percent had been held by
Austin individually or in joint tenancy with his sons. As a
result, Austin contributed 58.46 percent of KPLP’s assets, Edna
contributed 38.26 percent of KPLP’s assets, Austin and Edna’s
sons contributed 1.28 percent of KPLP’s assets, and the living
trust contributed 2 percent of KPLP’s assets. After the
transfers to the living trust and KPLP, Austin and Edna did not
have any bank accounts open in their own names.
For 1995, Austin and Edna filed identical Forms 709, U.S.
Gift Tax Return, reporting gifts of 24.5 percent of KPLP’s
limited partnership interests and 24.75 percent of Crane
Properties’ limited partnership interests to each of their sons’
irrevocable trusts. The gift tax returns reported the gifts as
split gifts; they were given half from each of Austin and Edna.
The gift tax returns also applied a 43.61-percent discount to the
value of the transferred KPLP interests because the interests
were minority interests and lacked management control. The KPLP
interests were valued at $521,870 and the Crane Properties
interests were valued at $78,160, for a total gift of $600,030.
After 1995, KPLP maintained five investment accounts at
various investment companies and a checking account. Dividends
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and interest earned on the investment accounts were deposited
into the checking account. KPLP’s checking account was also used
to pay KPLP’s expenses. Austin and Dennis were the only
signatories on the checking account. In August 1995, Austin
purchased an annuity from LifeUSA Insurance Co. for $140,000.
Austin named himself as the annuitant and KPLP as the owner on
the annuity application. The annuity entitled Austin to payments
after the annuity date, September 5, 2005, for a 10-year period
as long as he was living. If Austin died during the 10-year
period, the payments would continue to his sons as irrevocable
beneficiaries. Austin’s sons were also entitled to a death
benefit if Austin died before the annuity date.
As stated above, the Korbys transferred their house to the
living trust in 1995, and Austin lived in the house until 1998.
From 1995 through 1998, KPLP and the living trust paid many of
the Korbys’ household expenses. The living trust made payments
to Edna’s nursing home, various drug stores, other miscellaneous
stores, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The living trust
also made occasional cash payments to Austin. To pay all these
expenses, the living trust received cash payments from KPLP and
the Korbys’ Social Security payments. KPLP paid the utility and
heating bills, property taxes, and insurance for the Korbys’
residence and paid for subscriptions to newspapers and
periodicals. For each year, KPLP deducted as a business expense
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40 percent of the home expenses. The deductions were taken
because in an IRS audit for an earlier year, it was determined
that Austin used 40 percent of his home in his bridge-building
business and was entitled to deduct the cost of that portion.
KPLP also deducted the cost of Austin’s subscriptions to
newspapers and periodicals in each year.
The Korbys received Social Security income of $18,014 in
1995, $18,468 in 1996, $19,016 in 1997, and $16,751 in 1998. On
its Federal income tax returns and its books and records, KPLP
reported its interest and dividend income, value, and payments to
the living trust as follows:
Payments to
Year KPLP Income Living Trust KPLP Value
1995 $77,898 $30,387 $1,869,901
1996 72,434 19,334 2,185,581
1997 74,239 32,324 2,699,138
1
1998 77,343 38,750 2,625,821
1
Value of KPLP assets on the date of Austin’s death.
KPLP reported distributions and guaranteed payments during 1995,
1996, 1997, and 1998 as follows:
Guaranteed Distributions Distributions
Year Pymts to GP to GP to LPs
1995 None $30,387 None
1996 $19,334 None None
1997 32,324 None None
1998 38,750 None $12,061
KPLP did not report any guaranteed payments to limited partners
in any year. KPLP paid $18,104.76 in 1996 and $4,400 in 1997 for
income taxes owed by its limited partners. In 1998, KPLP paid
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$12,061 for income taxes owed by its limited partners and
reported the tax payments as distributions to its limited
partners.
For 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998, the living trust used income
from Austin and Edna’s Social Security payments and the
guaranteed payments from KPLP to pay approximately $2,500 per
month to Pelican Lake Health Care Center for Edna’s care. Austin
and Edna reported medical expenses of $37,684, $38,586, and
$40,216 on their 1995, 1996, and 1997 Federal income tax returns,
respectively.
In June 1998, KPLP redeemed the U.S. savings bonds that
Austin and Edna had contributed in 1995. The U.S. Treasury
issued KPLP two checks for $43,638 each. One check was endorsed
to the National Western Life Insurance Co. to purchase an
annuity. On the annuity application, Dennis was named as the
annuitant, and the four Korby sons were named as the four equal
owners and beneficiaries. The other check was deposited into the
living trust’s checking account. KPLP did not report this amount
on its 1998 return as a distribution or a guaranteed payment to
the living trust. From these funds, the living trust issued a
$10,000 check to each of the Korby sons and retained the
remaining $3,638. KPLP reported the interest earned on the U.S.
savings bonds as income on its 1998 Federal income tax return.
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Austin and Edna’s joint Federal income tax return for 1998
was filed by Dennis as personal representative for each estate.
The 1998 return was the first return on which it was reported
that Austin and Edna were liable for self-employment tax on the
payments from KPLP. The living trust remained KPLP’s general
partner after Austin and Edna died. The living trust held the
same property from the spring of 1995 until Austin’s death, and
the living trust’s property was worth $143,932 on the date of
Austin’s death. Pursuant to the terms of the living trust
agreement, Austin and Edna’s funeral expenses and Austin’s estate
taxes were paid by the living trust. On September 1, 1999, KPLP
issued a check to the living trust for $19,500. On the same day,
the living trust paid estate taxes of $20,068 owed by Austin’s
estate.
The living trust agreement provided that upon the death of
the first of Austin or Edna to die, the living trust would split
into a marital deduction trust and a family trust. All of the
living trust property, less the amount necessary to use the
unified credit amount in effect for the year of death, was to be
transferred to the marital deduction trust. The remaining assets
were to be transferred to the family trust.
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IV. The Estate Tax Return
The estate filed Form 706, U.S. Estate (and Generation-
Skipping Transfer) Tax Return, on September 7, 1999. The estate
reported the residence, the vacant lot, a checking account,
personal property, a 1-percent general partnership interest in
Crane Properties, and a 2-percent general partnership interest in
KPLP as owned directly by Austin at his death. The estate also
claimed deductions for funeral expenses and debts of the
decedent, adjusted taxable gifts of $600,030 for the 1995 gifts
of KPLP and Crane Properties interests, gross estate tax of
$222,118 subject to the maximum unified credit against estate tax
of $202,050, and tax due of $20,068.
On August 29, 2002, respondent issued a notice of deficiency
addressed to the estate and the living trust. On the same day,
respondent issued a notice of deficiency to the living trust as
transferee of the estate’s liabilities (the notices). In the
notices, respondent determined that the full values of the assets
held by KPLP were includable in the gross estate under sections
2036 and 2038. Respondent also determined that the values of the
assets held by the living trust were includable in the gross
estate under sections 2036 and 2038. Respondent also reduced the
estate’s adjusted taxable gifts from $600,030 to $121,798,
reflecting in part respondent’s exclusion of the 1995 gifts of
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KPLP interests.4 The deficiency in estate tax totaled
$1,070,482.
OPINION
Respondent argues that the value of the property transferred
by Austin and Edna to KPLP is includable in Austin’s and Edna’s
gross estates under sections 2036(a)(1) and (2) and/or
2038(a)(1). The estate argues that sections 2036 and 2038 do not
apply to the assets the Korbys transferred to KPLP because Austin
and Edna retained no right to income from, the corpus of, or
power of appointment over them, KPLP received the assets in a
bona fide sale for adequate and full consideration in money or
money’s worth, and Austin and Edna did not retain ownership or
control over the assets alone or in conjunction with anyone else
or the power alone or in conjunction with anyone else to alter,
amend, revoke, or terminate the enjoyment by any person of the
assets. See secs. 2036(a)(1) and (2), 2038(a).
Respondent’s determination in the notice of deficiency is
entitled to a presumption of correctness. See Rule 142(a). The
parties do not address section 7491(a). The estate does not
argue that the burden of proof has shifted to respondent under
section 7491(a), and it has failed to establish that it has
4
The estate does not challenge respondent’s inclusion of the
living trust property under secs. 2036 and 2038 or his adjustment
to the adjusted taxable gifts. We therefore accept these
adjustments.
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complied with the requirements of section 7491(a)(2). Therefore,
we conclude that the estate’s burden of proof does not shift to
respondent.
The Internal Revenue Code imposes a Federal estate tax on
the transfer of the taxable estate of a decedent who is a citizen
or resident of the United States. Sec. 2001. The value of the
gross estate includes the value of all property to the extent of
the decedent’s interest therein on the date of death. Sec. 2033.
I. Section 2036
The purpose of section 2036 is to include in a deceased
taxpayer’s gross estate the value of inter vivos transfers that
were testamentary in nature. United States v. Estate of Grace,
395 U.S. 316 (1969). Section 2036(a)5 generally provides that if
5
SEC. 2036. TRANSFERS WITH RETAINED LIFE ESTATE.
(a) General Rule.–-The value of the gross estate
shall include the value of all property 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
(2) the right, either alone or in
conjunction with any person, to designate the
persons who shall possess or enjoy the
property or the income therefrom.
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a decedent makes an inter vivos transfer of property, other than
a bona fide sale for adequate and full consideration in money or
money’s worth, and retains certain enumerated rights or interests
in the property which are not relinquished until death, the full
value of the transferred property will be included in the
decedent’s gross estate. Section 2036(a) is applicable when
three conditions are met: (1) The decedent made an inter vivos
transfer of property; (2) the decedent retained an interest or
right enumerated in section 2036(a)(1) or (2) or (b)6 in the
transferred property which he did not relinquish before his
death; and (3) the decedent’s transfer was not a bona fide sale
for adequate and full consideration in money or money’s worth.
The parties do not dispute that Austin and Edna made an inter
vivos transfer of property when they contributed the assets to
KPLP. Therefore, we conclude that this requirement is met.
A. Retention of Rights in Transferred Property
Section 2036 requires the inclusion of the value of
transferred property with respect to which a decedent retained,
by express or implied agreement, possession, enjoyment, or the
right to income. Respondent argues that Austin and Edna
retained, by express and implied agreement, until they died, the
6
Sec. 2036(b) provides that the retention of the right to
vote shares of a controlled corporation that were transferred by
a decedent is the retention of the enjoyment of the transferred
property.
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enjoyment of the assets they transferred to KPLP. The estate
argues that Austin and Edna retained no rights with respect to
the transferred property and that no agreement, express or
implied, existed.
We agree with respondent that an implied agreement existed
between Austin, on his own behalf and on behalf of Edna, and the
four Korby sons that after the assets were transferred to KPLP,
income from the assets would continue to be available to Austin
and Edna for as long as they needed income.7 In 1995, when
Austin and Edna transferred $1,888,704 worth of assets to KPLP,
Edna was living in a nursing home and suffering from severe
dementia. Edna’s nursing home costs were approximately $2,500
per month. Austin had experienced a stroke and had been
diagnosed with various ongoing ailments. It is reasonable to
believe that Austin and Edna expected to incur significant
medical expenses in the future. Austin and Edna reported medical
expenses of over $37,000, approximately double their Social
Security income, in each of the 4 years before they died. It was
clear that the Korbys’ Social Security income would not cover
their basic expenses in the future. Despite their expected
increased expenses, however, Austin and Edna retained in their
7
Because we find an implied agreement, we need not decide
whether an express agreement existed that gave Austin and Edna
the possession of, enjoyment of, or right to income from the
transferred assets.
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names or the name of their living trust only their house, a
vacant lot, bank accounts with a total balance of $7,428, a 1-
percent interest in Crane Properties, a 2-percent interest in
KPLP, and the right to receive Social Security income. KPLP paid
the Korbys’ home expenses after their assets were transferred to
it. In order to pay the Korbys’ other basic living expenses,
KPLP also distributed significant percentages of its income to
the living trust, ranging from 26.7 percent of its income in 1996
to 50.1 percent of its income in 1998, which paid their remaining
expenses. These payments from KPLP to the living trust totaled
at least 52.6 percent of the Korbys’ income in each of the 4
years before they died.
The estate argues that the cash payments that KPLP made to
the living trust and the payments of the Korbys’ home expenses
were management fees paid for Austin’s services as a money
manager for the KPLP assets. The estate further claims that
Austin and Edna were financially able to transfer their income-
producing assets to KPLP because they expected the living trust
to receive management fees that would provide enough income to
them. We do not believe that the payments to the living trust
were management fees. The purported fees amounted to $19,334 to
$38,750 in each of the 4 years before the Korbys died. The
amounts were used by the living trust to pay Edna’s nursing home
costs of over $30,000 per year and the Korbys’ taxes, medical
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expenses, and other various expenses. The amounts were used
entirely by Austin and Edna and not by Dennis, who was cotrustee
of the general partner and was entitled to half of any management
fees. While the living trust received management fees totaling
over $120,000 during the years at issue, the limited partners
(who owned 98 percent of KPLP) received only one distribution
totaling $12,061, for taxes in 1998.
Further, no management contract was executed, and the fees
were paid at varying times and amounts, as Austin requested them.
The purported fees were not based on any regular or prescribed
method of payment or computation. Dennis testified that he
caused KPLP to make payments to the living trust whenever Austin
requested them because he was raised not to say no to his father.
He stated that he and his father discussed the amounts of the
management fees in 1995, and they wrote down the amounts on
“pieces of paper” at the kitchen table. These notes regarding
the purported fees were not produced by the estate at trial.
The estate submitted an expert report by Paul R. Kenworthy,
C.F.P., in which he opined that money managers generally receive
fees of 1 to 1.5 percent of the asset values in the portfolios
they manage. Mr. Kenworthy testified that fees are generally not
determined by the income of the portfolio because income amounts
vary with different types of investments.
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We accept Mr. Kenworthy’s testimony that money managers
generally earn 1- to 1.5-percent management fees. However, the
record shows that although KPLP held approximately 60
investments, Austin made only 6 sales or purchases between 1995
and 1998. Dennis testified that few trades were made because his
parents had low bases in the investments, and KPLP would
recognize significant income if they were sold. Given the plan
to hold the investments in order to avoid tax, the degree of
anticipated management of those assets would have been minimal.
The only other management activity the estate claims Austin
undertook was reading newspapers and periodicals daily. The
living trust continued to receive the purported management fee
income and use it to pay the Korbys’ expenses even after Dennis
took over most of Austin’s duties managing KPLP’s assets in
February 1997, as reported in the minutes of the partnership.
During their lives, Austin and Edna never reported self-
employment income from their purported management income; only
after their deaths was the income treated as self-employment
income, on an income tax return filed by Dennis. While we
believe that Austin was skilled at managing his portfolio, the
amount of work and time he committed to managing KPLP’s assets
did not rise to the level that an independent money manager might
have committed, and KPLP’s assets, under Austin’s own plan to
avoid recognition of gain, required little management. While the
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passive nature of transferred assets is generally not
determinative in a section 2036 analysis of their transfer to a
family limited partnership, we believe the lack of activity by
Austin with respect to the KPLP assets is relevant to the issue
of whether the payments the living trust received from KPLP were
management fees.
All these facts, taken together, show that Austin and Edna
had an implied agreement with their sons that Austin and Edna
were entitled to the income from the assets they transferred to
KPLP. KPLP was formed as a testamentary vehicle designed to
transfer Austin’s and Edna’s assets to their sons during their
lives at a significant discount, while retaining for Austin and
Edna the economic enjoyment of those assets.
B. The Bona Fide Sale Exception
Having concluded that Austin and Edna retained the enjoyment
of and right to income from the assets they transferred to KPLP,
we must now determine whether section 2036 is nonetheless
inapplicable as a result of the bona fide sale exception. We
recently held in Estate of Bongard v. Commissioner, 124 T.C. ,
___ (2005) (slip. op. at 39), that in the context of family
limited partnerships, the bona fide sale exception is met where
the record establishes the existence of a legitimate and
significant nontax reason for the transfer, and the transferors
received partnership interests proportionate to the value of the
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property transferred. See, e.g., Estate of Thompson v.
Commissioner, 382 F.3d 367 (3d Cir. 2004), affg. T.C. Memo. 2002-
246; Kimbell v. United States, 371 F.3d 257, 258 (5th Cir. 2004).
The objective evidence must indicate that the nontax reason was a
significant factor that motivated the partnership’s creation.
See Estate of Harper v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2002-121; Estate
of Harrison v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1987-8. A significant
purpose must be an actual motivation, not a theoretical
justification.
The facts and circumstances of each case must be examined in
order to determine whether the bona fide sale exception has been
met. Certain factors indicate that a bona fide sale has not
occurred. Factors that support a finding that a sale was not
bona fide are: (1) The taxpayer’s standing on both sides of the
transaction, Estate of Hillgren v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2004-
46; (2) the taxpayer’s financial dependence on distributions from
the partnership, Estate of Thompson v. Commissioner, supra;
Estate of Harper v. Commissioner, supra; (3) the partners’
commingling of partnership funds with their own, Estate of
Thompson v. Commissioner, supra, and (4) the taxpayer’s failure
to actually transfer the property to the partnership, Estate of
Hillgren v. Commissioner, supra.
Austin formed KPLP with the help of his estate lawyer but
without the involvement of his sons, who were each to be 24.5-
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percent owners through trusts and who each signed the KPLP
agreement. Austin alone decided which of his and Edna’s assets
would be contributed to KPLP, the terms of the KPLP agreement,
that the living trust would receive management fees as general
partner, and whether the limited partners would receive any
distributions. In his testimony, Dennis was unfamiliar with the
terms of the KPLP agreement. He thought its terms were followed
at all times but was unsure how the management fees were to be
determined. Gary Korby, one of Dennis’s brothers, testified that
he was not aware that his father received management fees from
KPLP, that he was not represented in the formation of KPLP, and
that he did not know how he acquired his interest in KPLP,
whether by gift or otherwise. He also testified that although he
signed the KPLP agreement in 1994, the first time his father
explained the partnership to him and gave him a chance to ask
questions about it was at a partnership meeting in February 1995.
Dennis’ other two brothers did not testify at trial, but the
parties stipulated that their testimony would echo Gary’s
testimony. These facts indicate that none of Austin’s and Edna’s
four sons was involved in the formation of the partnership or the
drafting of the KPLP agreement. Austin essentially stood on all
sides of the partnership’s formation and approved the provisions
of the KPLP agreement without negotiation or input from the
limited partners.
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The circumstances leading us to conclude above that the
payments from KPLP to the living trust were not management fees
also weigh against a conclusion that the sale of assets to KPLP
was bona fide. The Korbys’ use of KPLP income for basic living
expenses is inconsistent with a finding of a bona fide transfer.
By drafting the KPLP agreement to allow the living trust to
determine the amounts of its purported fees as general partner
and by making Dennis, with whom Austin had an implied agreement,
his cotrustee, Austin ensured that he and Edna would be provided
with sufficient income from the KPLP assets during their
lifetimes.
The estate argues that the creation of KPLP was bona fide
because Austin and Edna created KPLP to protect the family from
commercial and personal injury liability resulting from their
bridge-building business, as well as liability arising from
divorce. The estate points to provisions in the KPLP agreement
that prevented any partner from unilaterally forcing a
distribution of partnership property and restricted transfer of
the limited partnership interests. However, the estate has not
shown that the terms of the KPLP agreement would prevent a
creditor of a partner from obtaining that partner’s KPLP interest
in an involuntary transfer. The limited protection KPLP gave the
family and the other evidence in the record lead us to believe
that credit protection was not a significant reason for forming
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KPLP; rather, Austin and Edna formed KPLP in order to make a
testamentary transfer of their assets to their sons at a
discounted value while still having access to the income from
those assets for their lifetime. Instead of retaining assets
sufficient to provide the income they would need as their medical
expenses grew, Austin and Edna used KPLP in an attempt to
insulate all of their income-producing assets from the estate
tax. As a result, we find that the transfer of Austin’s and
Edna’s assets to KPLP was not a bona fide sale for full and
adequate consideration. Therefore, section 2036(a)(1) applies to
the KPLP assets that were contributed by Austin and Edna. Given
this conclusion, we need not address respondent’s argument for
inclusion under sections 2036(a)(2) and 2038.
KPLP’s assets were contributed as follows:
Edna Austin Korby sons Living Trust Total
38.26 58.46 1.28 2.00 100.00
The parties agree that if section 2036 applies to the assets
contributed to KPLP by Austin and Edna, 58.46 percent of KPLP’s
value should be included in Austin’s gross estate and 38.26
percent of KPLP’s value should be included in Edna’s gross
estate.8 In calculating the values of the KPLP assets at
8
This 58.46-percent portion of KPLP’s value is includable in
Austin’s gross estate in addition to the 2-percent KPLP general
partnership interest held by the living trust, which the estate
does not dispute is included in Austin’s gross estate under sec.
(continued...)
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Austin’s death, the parties shall take into consideration their
stipulation that the value of Amoco stock at Austin’s death was
$55.125 per share, not $85.50 per share as stated in the notice
of deficiency.
II. The 1995 and 1998 Annuities
The estate argues that respondent incorrectly included the
1995 annuity, valued at $146,713.59 at Austin’s death, in the
KPLP assets. The estate does not object to respondent’s
valuation of the annuity. The annuity entitled Austin to
payments after the annuity date for a 10-year period as long as
he was living. If Austin died during the 10-year period, the
payments would continue to his beneficiaries. Austin’s sons were
named as irrevocable beneficiaries, which also entitled them to a
death benefit if Austin died before the annuity date.
Section 2039(a) provides that the gross estate must include
the value of an annuity receivable by a beneficiary by reason of
surviving a decedent under a contract or agreement
if, under such contract or agreement, an annuity or
other payment was payable to the decedent, or the
decedent possessed the right to receive such annuity or
payment, either alone or in conjunction with another
for his life or for any other period not ascertainable
without reference to his death or for any period which
does not in fact end before his death.
8
(...continued)
2036(a) as living trust property. In addition, the calculation of
the portion includable in each gross estate takes into account
that the 1.28-percent interest contributed by the Korby sons is
not included in either Austin’s or Edna’s gross estate.
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Section 2039(b), however, provides that section 2039(a) applies
only to the part of the value of the annuity “proportionate to
that part of the purchase price therefor contributed by the
decedent.” The estate has shown that the annuity was purchased
in 1995 using $140,000 of KPLP’s funds. Because the purchase
price of the annuity was contributed entirely by KPLP and none
was paid by Austin, the value of the annuity is not includable in
Austin’s gross estate under section 2039.
However, the fact that an amount is not includable in a
decedent’s gross estate under section 2039 does not preclude its
inclusion in the gross estate under some other section of the
estate tax laws. See Estate of Kleemeier v. Commissioner, 58
T.C. 241, 252 (1972) (citing section 20.2039-1(a), Estate Tax
Regs.). The 1995 annuity was purchased by KPLP and was included
as one of its assets when Austin died. Its value is therefore
includable in Austin’s gross estate under section 2036 to the
same extent the values of the other KPLP assets are includable.
In calculating KPLP’s total value, the value of the 1995 annuity,
agreed upon by the parties as $146,713.59 at Austin’s death,
should be included. The portions includable in Austin’s gross
estate (the 58.46-percent interest he contributed and the 2-
percent general partnership interest owned by the living trust)
shall then be calculated from the total value.
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The estate also argues that the value of the annuity
purchased in 1998 by Austin using the proceeds of KPLP’s U.S.
savings bonds should not be included in Austin’s gross estate.
The estate does not argue that the annuity should not be treated
as a gift or contest the value respondent ascribed to the annuity
($43,638). The estate’s argument is moot; respondent does not
argue that it should be included in the gross estate. The estate
does not dispute respondent’s adjustment of the estate’s adjusted
taxable gifts by the value of the 1998 annuity.
III. The Family Trust
Finally, the estate argues that the value of the portion of
property included in Edna’s gross estate that was transferred to
a family trust pursuant to the terms of the living trust
agreement should not be included in Austin’s gross estate. The
record shows that the family trust was created in 1999 and filed
Federal income tax returns for 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003.
Austin’s estate tax return reported as a debt of the decedent
$25,000 due the family trust “payable out of the proceeds of the
sale of the homestead as established by the estate of Edna Korby
date of death July 3 1998”. The record does not show that the
homestead was sold at any time or that Austin’s estate paid
$25,000 to the family trust. In addition, the income tax returns
filed by the family trust show that the family trust was not
created until September 1, 1999, approximately the time Austin’s
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and Edna’s estate tax returns were filed and 9 months after
Austin’s death. Because there is no evidence that any property
had been placed in the family trust as of the time of Austin’s
death, the family trust is not pertinent to our determination of
the amount of estate tax owed by Austin’s estate.
To reflect the foregoing, and concessions by the parties,
Decision will be entered
under Rule 155.