Law Commons^™

Taxation-Federal Estate Tax-Transfers Of Life Insurance In Contemplation Of Death, Ralph E. Hunt S. Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Insurance policies on the life of a decedent are ordinarily included in his gross estate according to the provisions of section 811 (g) of the Internal Revenue Code. Where the policy is payable to a beneficiary other than the executor, it is taxable under section 811(g)(2): (1) if the decedent paid premiums on the policy, in proportion to the amount of premiums paid by him in relation to the total premiums paid, or (2) if the decedent possessed at his death any of the incidents of ownership. However, these provisions are not exclusive; even though section 811 (g) is inapplicable, …

Dower - Premarital Conveyance As Fraud On Dower, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Decedent, seven days before his marriage to plaintiff, conveyed all his property to his nephew, the defendant. Plaintiff was not informed of the transfer until some time after the marriage. The property was worth $22,000, and decedent, who was at that time sixty-two years of age, was allowed to retain a life estate therein. Cancellation of a note for $2,904 owing from decedent to defendant served as consideration for the transfer. Held, the transfer was a fraud on dower since it was made without the knowledge of the intended wife for the purpose of defeating the interest which she …

Taxation - Federal Gift Tax - Cancellation Of A Power Todesignate New Beneficiaries Other Than The Settlor - Interrelationship Of Gift And Estate Tax, Robert M. Warren

Michigan Law Review

Before the enactment of the 1924 gift tax statute, decedent created a trust for the benefit of named beneficiaries, reserving to himself power both to revoke and to modify the trust. In 1919 the decedent made a surrender of the power to revoke the trust by a writing which reserved the power to designate new beneficiaries other than himself. This latter power was renounced in 1924 after the effective date of the gift tax statute. The Board of Tax Appeals and the Circuit Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit affirmed the commissioner's ruling that the gift became complete and …

Trusts - Reservation Of Life Income And Power Of Revocation In Settlor - Not Testamentary Within Mortmain Statute, Benjamin H. Dewey

Michigan Law Review

A settlor purported to set up a trust of certain of his property. In the trust agreement, the settlor reserved to himself the life income from the trust property, with such further amounts from the principal as the trustee, in his absolute discretion, should deem necessary for the settlor's proper maintenance and support; the power, with the approval of the trustee, to revoke or modify the trust; and the life use of the realty encompassed by the trust, on which he was to pay taxes. At the death of the settlor, certain of the trust property was to be administered …

Wills - Conveyances Conditioned On Grantor's Death - Contracts For Posthumous Performance, Charles Haines Jr.

Michigan Law Review

By an instrument entitled a lease, the owner of a country estate agreed with the Y.M.C.A. that the latter should have a lease of the land for his life in consideration of the payment of taxes and the maintenance and improvement of a boys' camp on the premises. Further, if at his death the lease were in good standing (a right of entry for condition broken having been reserved), then the Y.M.C.A. was to receive full title to the land. Pursuant to the agreement the camp was operated, and at the lessor's death the Y.M.C.A. was in possession in good …

Taxation - Estate Tax - Trust With Reservation Of Life Estate, Wallace Mendelson

Michigan Law Review

In 1923 decedent created an irrevocable trust, reserving to herself the income for life with remainders over. Upon decedent's death, it was held that the corpus of the trust was properly a part of decedent's gross estate for Federal Estate Tax purposes. Helvering v. Bullard, (U. S. 1938) 58 S. Ct. 565.

Trusts - Validity - Subject Matter - Profits To Be Acquired In The Future, Paul R. Trigg

Michigan Law Review

The plaintiff contemplated trading in the stock market and in 1927 declared a trust of the proceeds of his stock trading for the year 1928 in favor of various members of his immediate family, agreeing to assume all losses personally and to distribute all profits equally among the beneficiaries after deducting a reasonable compensation for his services. At the expiration of the year 1928, plaintiff deducted $10,000 as compensation, which he reported in his tax return for that year, and credited the named beneficiaries with the remainder on his books, these amount being reported in their respective tax returns for …

The Reduction Of Income Taxes Through The Use Of Trusts, William C. Warren

Michigan Law Review

Obviously the draftsmen of the first Revenue Act under the Sixteenth Amendment could not foresee every possibility of tax avoidance and adequately prevent such avoidance by express statutory provisions. Since the enactment of the Revenue Act of 1913, Congress has made constant efforts in each succeeding Revenue Act to close the loopholes discovered by tax lawyers. The success of these efforts has been most remarkable, particularly in comparison with the similar efforts of England under her income tax laws. Indeed, it may fairly be said that the enactment. of the Gift Tax Act in 1932 wrote the final chapter of …

Wills - Gift's - Construction Of Instrument

Michigan Law Review

Decedent had lived with plaintiff and her parents. In 1932, after telling plaintiff's parents that he had some money in the bank, decedent said, "I got a will here . . . I understand I have got to have two signatures." Both parents, at his request, signed the instrument below.

"Dear Carlotta

"I give to you my money in Live Stock Bank.

"Hans Larsen

"April 16, 1932

"Witness: Michael C. Kelley

"Mamie V. Kelley."

Decedent put the instrument in his bank book and took it into the other room where plaintiff was sitting. He said, "Carlotta, I will give you …

Deeds-Instrument In Form Of Contract For Sale Of Land As Gift

Michigan Law Review

Decedent executed and delivered to his sister, the petitioner, in a sealed envelope an instrument in the form of an executory contract for the sale of land by the terms of which the decedent promised to convey to the petitioner his undivided two-thirds interest in a certain building and lot. The execution of the instrument was not the result of any agreement and no consideration was paid, although receipt of payment in full was endorsed on the back of the instrument. After decedent's death the envelope was produced and the probate court under a statutory authority ordered a conveyance to …

Taxation - Power Of Appointment - Effect Of Refusal By Appointee Who Is Given Same Share In Default Of Appointment

Michigan Law Review

The donee of a power of appointment exercised it by will in favor of the persons who would have taken exactly the same interests in default of appointment, and who declared their election to decline the appointment and take by the provision in default of appointment in the will of the donor. Suit was brought for additional federal estate taxes covering the property to which the power applied, under a statute levying such a tax upon "any property passing under a general power of appointment exercised by the decedent . . . by will . . . . " Held …

Taxation Of Trust Estates-Reservation Of Life Income

Michigan Law Review

Settlor executed a deed of trust, retaining a life income, but no power of revocation. Held, that the State of Connecticut could tax the transfer as a gift to take effect in possession or enjoyment at or after death without violating the federal constitution. Guaranty Trust Co. of New York v. Blodgett, (U.S. 1933) 53 Sup. Ct. 244.

Certain Problems Confronting Creditors When A Revocable Trust Accomplishes Testamentary Succession, Ray Leslie Alexander

Michigan Law Review

Under the overwhelming weight of authority the reservation by the settlor of the income from trust property, or of other benefits, during his lifetime, and of the power to revoke the trust and so recover all or any part of the principal does not invalidate the trust; nor does the trust fail because the trust instrument is not executed in accordance with the Statute of Wills. Upon the death of the settlor the corpus of such a trust is distributable by the trustee in accordance with the terms of the trust instrument and does not pass to the executor or …

Deeds-Acceptance After Death Of Grantor

Michigan Law Review

M. H. executed four deeds and delivered them to an attorney to be delivered to the grantees after her death. Two of the deeds contained clauses requiring the grantee to assume a mortgage. The deeds were delivered as directed and were recorded by the grantees after the grantor's death. Held, in Healy v. Stevens, et al, that the acceptance, though after the grantor's death, made the deeds effective.

Gifts Causa Mortis - Contemplation Of Suicide

Michigan Law Review

The testator, suffering from melancholia and contemplating suicide, purchased a certificate of stock in the name of his brother and caused it to be deposited in a bank by the latter. Over two months thereafter, the testator stated, in effect, that in the event of his death the certificate should become the brother's property. Held, in affirming the allowance of the final account of the executor, that the transfer of the certificate was a valid gift causa mortis. In re Van Wormer's Estate, 255 Mich. 399, 238 N.W. 210 (1931).

Gifts-Necessity Of Acceptance

Michigan Law Review

The deceased was president of a water company and held stock in it. After his death the widow claimed part of this stock as a gift from her husband. A written assignment of the stock claimed, signed by the deceased, was introduced in the evidence to substantiate her claim. There was also evidence that the deceased had informed others that he had transferred most of his stock to his wife. But there was no proof that the wife knew of the transfer until after the death of her husband. Held, that an unconditional acceptance on the part of the …

Jurisdiction For The Purpose Of Imposing Inheritance Taxes, David R. Mason

Michigan Law Review

For nearly half a century so-called inheritance tax laws of the states of the United States have been predicated upon two distinct theories of jurisdiction, many states embodying both theories into their statutes. Recent decisions rendered by the Supreme Court of the United States, however, challenge the constitutionality of such a scheme and indicate the expediency of a review of the extent of state jurisdiction for the purpose of imposing such taxes.

Taxation-Jurisdiction To Tax Intangibles-Business Situs

Michigan Law Review

Decedent died domiciled in Illinois, owning the majority of stock in a South Carolina corporation, and a chose in action for a large sum owed him by the corporation, partly on open account, and partly for dividends declared but unpaid. The executors objected to the inclusion of the chose in an assessment under the South Carolina inheritance tax law, but the South Carolina court refused relief, basing jurisdiction to tax the transfer of the indebtedness, in part, on the ground that this property had acquired a business situs in South Carolina. On certiorari, this decision was reversed by the United …