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Full-Text Articles in Tax Law

Taxation-Retroactive Application Of Federal Estate Tax Laws Nov 1931

Taxation-Retroactive Application Of Federal Estate Tax Laws

Michigan Law Review

Since the passage of the first federal estate tax laws in 1916, many difficult problems have presented themselves to the United States Supreme Court and the inferior federal courts with respect to their application. Possibly nothing in this field has caused more trouble than the decision as to whether and to what extent Congress has the power to tax retroactively gifts made in contemplation of death and transfers intended to take effect in possession or enjoyment at or after the death of the donor; and further, assuming it has such power, exactly what constitutes a gift or transfer within the …


Deeds-Delivery In Escrow-Effect On Income Tax Jun 1931

Deeds-Delivery In Escrow-Effect On Income Tax

Michigan Law Review

A taxpayer, by written contract, had agreed to sell a 99-year leasehold for $195,000. $50,000 was to be paid in 1920, and the balance in 1921. The first payment was made in October, 1920, and a deed put in escrow, to be handed to the grantee on payment of the balance. The transaction was fully carried out as per contract, and the taxpayer was assessed income tax on the entire $195,000 as of 1920. Held, the deed having been delivered in escrow, the title relates back to the original delivery on performance of the condition, showing a completed transaction …


Taxation-Situs Of Documents For Stamp Tax Jun 1931

Taxation-Situs Of Documents For Stamp Tax

Michigan Law Review

A South Carolina corporation had established credit with certain banks domiciled in other states, and, whenever a loan was desired, had executed a note payable to and at the out-of- state bank. The notes were mailed to the bank subject to withdrawal and revocation by the corporation, until actually received and accepted by the bank. When paid the notes were cancelled and returned to the corporation. A state tax collector ascertained that no stamp tax had been paid on these notes as required in South Carolina Acts of 1928, c. 574, sec. 1, and threatened to levy on the property …


The Liability For Taxes And Assessments Between Vendor And Purchaser Jun 1931

The Liability For Taxes And Assessments Between Vendor And Purchaser

Michigan Law Review

This note is concerned with the rights and duties, inter se, of vendor and purchaser with respect to the burden of taxation. The problem presents itself in the simplest form when it arises in a suit for specific performance, the question being whether the contract obligated vendor to remove the lien of certain taxes (or allow the purchaser a credit against the purchase price), or, on the other hand, obligated purchaser to pay the whole price for the encumbered land (or pay vendor, in addition to purchase price, the amount of tax previously paid by the latter). The question …


Taxation-Retrospective Succession Tax On Trust Remainder Jun 1931

Taxation-Retrospective Succession Tax On Trust Remainder

Michigan Law Review

The settlors voluntarily placed property in trust, the income from which was to be paid to them during their lives, the corpus to be divided upon the surviving settlors' death, among their sons, or if any son predeceased the survivor, among those persons entitled to take his intestate property. Subsequently the settlors assigned their life interest to the sons; this conveyance, however, in the case of Coolidge v. Loring, 235 Mass. 220, 126 N.E. 276, was held ineffectual to eliminate the possible effect of the contingency of any son predeceasing the surviving settlor. Between the execution of the deed …


Constitutional Law-Former Jeopardy-As Bar To Civil Suit For Penalty Tax May 1931

Constitutional Law-Former Jeopardy-As Bar To Civil Suit For Penalty Tax

Michigan Law Review

The respondent had been convicted and punished in a criminal prosecution for dealing in intoxicating liquors. In a civil action for the collection of taxes imposed as a penalty for non-payment of taxes due because of those particular sales, held, the prior conviction of the defendant constituted a bar to this civil suit for a penalty as double jeopardy even under sec. 5 of the Willis Campbell Act. United States v. LaFranca, U. S. Sup. Ct. Feb. 24, 1931; Adv. Op. No. 74.


Bases Of Jurisdiction In State Taxation Of Inheritances And Property, Charles L.B. Lowndes May 1931

Bases Of Jurisdiction In State Taxation Of Inheritances And Property, Charles L.B. Lowndes

Michigan Law Review

Theoretically there is an accepted distinction between jurisdiction to exact an inheritance tax and a property tax. Is this distinction of practical significance? Does it influence a court in the concrete decision of a case?


Federal Practice--Unconstitionality Of A State Statutye-Requirement Of A Three-Judge Court May 1931

Federal Practice--Unconstitionality Of A State Statutye-Requirement Of A Three-Judge Court

Michigan Law Review

The plaintiff corporation applied for a preliminary injunction in a suit to restrain the collection of a state franchise tax on the ground that the tax law was unconstitutional under the federal Constitution. After the complaint had been filed and a temporary restraining order had been granted, the defendant moved to dismiss the bill for want of equity, and upon a hearing of the motion the bill was dismissed. The plaintiff then appealed to the circuit court of appeals where the law was held to be unconstitutional and the judgment was reversed. Held, the single judge had no jurisdiction …


Taxation-Excise Measured By Income From Copyrights Apr 1931

Taxation-Excise Measured By Income From Copyrights

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, a New York corporation, brought a bill to enjoin the Attorney-General of New York and others from collecting under a New York statute a tax levied "for the privilege of exercising its franchise in this state in a corporate or organized capacity," and measured by "income from any source," which had been interpreted to include income derived from copyrights, on the ground that the statute, as applied, infringed the federal Constitution. Held, three judges dissenting, that the tax was an excise tax levied for the privilege of doing business in a corporate capacity and that a constitutionally permissible …


Review: Saving Taxes In Drafting Wills And Trusts, E. B. Stason Apr 1931

Review: Saving Taxes In Drafting Wills And Trusts, E. B. Stason

Michigan Law Review

A Review of: SAVING TAXES IN DRAFTING WILLS AND TRUSTS By Joseph J. Robinson.


Corporations-Subsidiary's Evasion Of Income Tax Law By Contract With Parent Company-Income Attributable To Business Transacted Within The State Mar 1931

Corporations-Subsidiary's Evasion Of Income Tax Law By Contract With Parent Company-Income Attributable To Business Transacted Within The State

Michigan Law Review

The Palmolive company sought to reduce to a minimum the amount of its income taxable in Wisconsin. Three companies were formed which, for convenience' sake, will be designated as: parent company, a Delaware corporation; plaintiff company, a Delaware corporation; and Wisconsin company, a Wisconsin corporation. The parent company acquired all the capital stock of the Wisconsin company, and then acquired all its assets outside the state of Wisconsin, surrendering therefor part of the stock of the Wisconsin company so acquired. The balance of the capital stock of the Wisconsin company the parent company transferred to plaintiff company in exchange for …


Corporations-Tax Upon Extension Or Renewal Of Corporate Term Mar 1931

Corporations-Tax Upon Extension Or Renewal Of Corporate Term

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, its period of corporate existence expiring in May, 1929, proceeded to extend its life, as provided by law, for another 30 years. The general corporation statute required a corporation, upon filing its annual report, to pay a privilege fee for exercising its franchises. It provided, however, that if the corporation was organized in the instant year between January 1 and August 31, it need pay only a filing fee and a privilege fee of ten dollars. By amendment in 1929, it was declared that a corporation seeking extension of corporate existence "should be regarded as a new corporation for …


Landlord And Tenant-Liability For Taxes Mar 1931

Landlord And Tenant-Liability For Taxes

Michigan Law Review

Defendant, a lessee, covenanted to pay all taxes assessed against the property. After having been transferred to several parties successively, the lease was surrendered on April 7, 1928, to the original lessor, under an agreement providing that, "the original lessee, and its assigns, shall be released from all further obligations imposed upon lessee in said lease contract." Taxes which had become a. lien. on the property by assessment Jan. 1, 1928, were due in three equal installments payable the following April 15th, July 15th, and Oct. 15th, respectively, Upon the failure of the original lessee to pay the taxes, the …