Ewing v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue
| Decision Date | 28 May 1954 |
| Docket Number | No. 185,Docket 22934.,185 |
| Citation | 213 F.2d 438 |
| Parties | EWING v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE. |
| Court | U.S. Court of Appeals — Second Circuit |
Randolph E. Paul, New York City, Adrian W. DeWind and Eugene H. Lattin, New York City, of counsel, for petitioner.
H. Brian Holland, Asst. Atty. Gen., Ellis N. Slack, and Joseph F. Goetten, Sp. Assts. to Atty. Gen., for Commissioner of Internal Revenue, respondent.
Before AUGUSTUS N. HAND, CLARK and MEDINA, Circuit Judges.
The issue presented to us on appeal is whether certain "losses" suffered by the taxpayer were losses incurred in a "transaction entered into for profit" and therefore deductible under Section 23(e)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code.1 More specifically, the taxpayer seeks to deduct losses incurred from 1941 to 1943 on loans made to the Ballet Theatre, Inc., which became uncollectible.
The Tax Court held that in order to qualify for the deduction it must be shown that the transaction was entered into primarily for profit. Finding that the taxpayer's primary concern in making these loans was the success of the ballet as an art and at the most she merely hoped for a profit, the Tax Court denied the deduction. It is this ruling that the petitioner seeks to overturn. Since the intent of the taxpayer is crucial it will be necessary to state briefly the background of these loans.
The taxpayer came to New York in the middle 1920's to study drama. Later she branched out to singing and dancing lessons and ultimately her interest turned to ballet. By 1937 she was the principal dancer in the Mordkin Ballet, giving performances in New York.
The artistic success of the Mordkin Ballet indicated that a tour might be successful. Accordingly, a corporation, Advanced Arts Ballets, Inc., was formed to produce the ballet and taxpayer purchased 51% of the stock issued. Although ballets were produced by Advanced Arts through 1938 the operation was financially unsuccessful and, in the end, taxpayer purchased the remaining outstanding shares of stock of Advanced Arts. In 1939, under the auspices of Advanced Arts, a new dance company, Ballet Theatre, was formed. It was hoped that this dance company, by presenting a new form of ballet, would be more successful financially. Artistically it was a great success but its financial results were, if anything, more discouraging. In her dealings with Advanced Arts from 1938 to 1940 taxpayer loaned $399,600 to finance the troupe and during this same period she claimed approximately $300,000, or three-quarters of this, as a loss deduction.
A new corporation, The Ballet Theatre, Inc., came into existence on April 18, 1940 and purchased the properties of Advanced Arts for $100,000 in stock, an admittedly high figure. During the years in question taxpayer owned beneficially from 285½ to 301 of the 341 shares outstanding of the new corporation. For the 1941 season Ballet Presentations was organized to produce the ballet for Ballet Theatres, Inc. Again the season proved financially unsuccessful, taxpayer losing $62,500 in loans to finance the productions. These continuous large losses all took place prior to 1942 and 1943 — the tax years in question. Up to this time taxpayer had suffered a loss of approximately $362,100 in her loans to finance the ballet.
After the failure of Ballet Presentations, Ballet Theatre, Inc., gave an exclusive management contract to Hurok Attractions, Inc., for the two seasons October 1, 1941, through October 1, 1943. Under the agreement Hurok guaranteed a minimum number of performances each year and, under a rather involved arrangement, split profits with Ballet Theatres, Inc., above a fixed point of gross income per week. During this two year period performances were carried out under this agreement but Ballet Theatre, Inc., continued to suffer substantial financial losses.
As she had done in previous years the taxpayer continued to lend large amounts of money to Ballet Theatres, Inc., in order to keep the ballet going and to produce new ballets. However, in the instant years the money was loaned under an agreement whereby the obligation to repay ended at the end of each season, and during the season loans could be repaid to her only out of one-half of the profits realized by Ballet Theatre. For the first season taxpayer utilized a promotion company to receive the loans...
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Nathel v. Comm'r Of Internal Revenue
...of § 165(c) ] may depend upon whether the taxpayer's motive in entering into the transaction was primarily profit.”); Ewing v. Comm'r, 213 F.2d 438, 439 (2d Cir.1954). The burden of proving the requisite motive is on the petitioners. Cf. Sutton v. Comm'r, 84 T.C. 210, 221 (1985), aff'd, 788......
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...incidental profit motive is insufficient. Ewing v. Commissioner [Dec. 19,624], 20 T.C. 216, 233 (1953), affd. [54-1 USTC ¶ 9424], 213 F.2d 438 (2d Cir. 1954). At the other extreme, it requires no citation of authority to state as well that profit need not be the sole When a taxpayer enters ......
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