In re Gingery, 84 B 01341 C.
| Decision Date | 02 May 1985 |
| Docket Number | No. 84 B 01341 C.,84 B 01341 C. |
| Citation | 48 BR 1000 |
| Parties | In re Deryl W. GINGERY, Social Security No. XXX-XX-XXXX, Debtor. |
| Court | U.S. District Court — District of Colorado |
Bruce C. Bernstein, Denver, Colo., Trustee.
David M. Kanigel, Evergreen, Colo., Paul D. Rubner, Denver, Colo., for debtor.
FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND ORDER ON TRUSTEE'S OBJECTIONS TO HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION AND PROOF OF CLAIM
The two matters before the Court are the trustee's objection to the homestead exemption claimed by the debtor, and the trustee's objection to a proof of claim filed by the debtor on behalf of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The trustee asserts that the Bankruptcy Code does not allow a debtor to exempt property recovered pursuant to the trustee's avoiding powers if the debtor transferred the property voluntarily. Further, the trustee urges the Court to disallow the IRS proof of claim because it was not timely filed and it was without supporting documentation. The debtor, on the other hand, argues that he is entitled to claim an exemption for the property he conveyed since he did not conceal the transfer. The debtor also maintains that the IRS claim he filed on the agency's behalf should be allowed since it was filed within a reasonable time.
The facts relating to the homestead exemption are not contested and this issue will be dealt with first. The debtor, Deryl W. Gingery, transferred $15,000 in cash and his interest in three parcels of real estate to his wife, Norma Gingery, on November 15, 1983. Included in these transactions was the debtor's one-half interest in the family residence located at 2814 South Eaton Way, Denver, Colorado. On the same day, the debtor transferred $10,000 to his son, Kevin Gingery. The debtor received no consideration in return for any of the aforementioned transfers.
On March 26, 1984, the debtor filed a petition seeking protection under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code. The debtor's Statement of Financial Affairs disclosed the transfers made by the debtor to his wife and son. Bruce Bernstein was appointed trustee, and on August 7, 1984, he filed a complaint alleging that the previously listed transactions were fraudulent and subject to his avoiding powers. A default judgment was entered by The Honorable John F. McGrath on October 25, 1984 against both Norma Gingery and Kevin Gingery requiring them to return to the estate the $25,000 in cash and the interests in real property. On January 21, 1985, the debtor amended his Schedule B-4 to include a claim for the Colorado homestead exemption set forth in C.R.S. XX-XX-XXX, 202. The trustee objected to allowing the debtor the homestead exemption and a hearing was held on March 25, at which the Court pursuant to the agreement of counsel also heard argument on the trustee's objection to the IRS proof of claim.
A determination of whether the debtor is entitled to the Colorado homestead exemption requires this Court to engage in statutory interpretation. It is apparent that the debtor's transfer of his interest in the family residence was voluntary but not concealed. The trustee takes the position that the Bankruptcy Code precludes a debtor from exempting property that the trustee subsequently recovers if the debtor's transfer was either voluntary or concealed. The debtor, on the other hand, asserts that the Code precludes a debtor from exempting such property only if the debtor's transfer was both voluntary and concealed. Simply put, is a debtor denied an exemption if his fraudulent transfer was merely voluntary, or rather, must the transfer be both voluntary and concealed. However, before reaching this issue, it is first necessary for the Court to determine which statutory provision is applicable.
Despite the fact that Colorado has opted out of the federal exemption scheme, 11 U.S.C. § 522 provides the framework by which debtors may avail themselves of the applicable state exemptions. Section 522(g) governs exemptions on property recovered by the trustee (contra 11 U.S.C. § 522(h); property recovered by the debtor). Section 522(g) provides:
11 U.S.C. § 522(g) (emphasis added).
The debtor argues that Section 522(g) is inapposite here because the language of the provision is limited to the trustee's recovery of property under Sections 510(c)(2), 542, 543, 550, 551, and 553. The debtor reasons that since the trustee recovered the debtor's interest in the family residence pursuant to Section 548 (), and Section 548 is not listed in Section 522(g), then Section 522(g) cannot be applicable to the facts at hand. However, the debtor's interpretation of Section 522(g) fails to take into account that the trustee's avoiding powers including Section 548 are incorporated in Section 550.
Section 550 is the operative arm with which the trustee can reach property that was the subject of an avoided transfer. This provision holds the transferee liable for property acquired in a transfer that is subsequently avoided by the trustee. It provides:
(a) Except as otherwise provided for in this section, to the extent that a transfer is avoided under section 544, 545, 547, 548, 549, 553(b), or 724(a), of this title, the trustee may recover, for the benefit of the estate, the property transferred,. . . .
11 U.S.C. § 550.
Clearly, Section 548 must be read in conjunction with Section 550 in order for the trustee's avoiding power to inure to the benefit of the estate. Since Section 548 is incorporated in Section 550, and Section 550 is expressly provided for in Section 522(g), it is apparent that property avoided pursuant to Section 548 comes under the ambit of Section 522(g).
The legislative history of Section 522(g) supports the conclusion that Congress contemplated applying 522(g) to fact scenarios like the present one. The House Judiciary Committee Comments on Section 522(g) stated:
Subsection (g) gives the debtor the ability to exempt property that the trustee recovers under one of the trustee\'s avoiding powers if the property was involuntarily transferred away from the debtor (such as by the fixing of a judicial lien) and if the debtor did not conceal the property.
H.R.Rep. No. 95-595, 95th Cong., 1st Sess. 362 (1977), U.S. Code Cong. & Ad.News 1978, 5787, 6318 (emphasis added). Section 522(g) makes reference to the trustee's avoiding powers through Section 550. Therefore, Section 522(g) is indeed applicable to the present case.
Both parties here appear to have been confused as to which subsection of Section 522 is applicable. The trustee based his objection on the debtor's failure to meet the conditions set forth in Section 522(h)(2). He was accurate in concluding that the debtor is not entitled to an exemption under Section 522(h). Section 522(h) provides as follows:
11 U.S.C. § 522(h).
This section is inapplicable on its face because the language in subparagraph (2) clearly limits the application of the entire subsection to cases where the trustee chose not to exercise his avoiding powers. Matter of Tressler, 41 B.R. 779 (Bankr.D.Del. 1984). In the present case, the trustee, not the debtor, avoided the transfer thereby activating Section 522(g) as the relevant subsection. Despite the fact that Section 522(g), instead of Section 522(h), was the appropriate provision for the trustee to base his objection on, the debtor was put on notice that his claim for a homestead exemption was contested. In fact, the debtor addressed the applicability of 522(g) in his argument and was not prejudiced by the trustee's reference to the wrong subsection of 522. Consequently, the court finds that it is appropriate to apply the correct provision although it was not raised with specificity in the trustee's objection.
The debtor on the other hand, asserted that this case comes squarely within the purview of Section 522(i)(2). However, this subsection does not provide the debtor with independent authority to exempt property, it merely fills a gap left by Section 551 interpreted in the context of exemptions claimed by the debtor. Section 551 automatically preserves avoided transfers for the benefit of the estate and Section 522(i)(2) provides that the voided transfer may be preserved for the benefit of the debtor, limited to the extent that the debtor may exempt such property under Section 522(g). 3 Collier on Bankruptcy, ¶ 522.30 (15th ed.1985). Thus, the exemptions contemplated in Section 522(i)(2) are expressly subject to the debtor meeting the conditions set forth in Section 522(g). See In re Ward, 36 B.R. 794 (Bankr.D.S.D.1984).
A literal reading of Section 522(g) compels the conclusion that a recovered asset cannot be exempted if it was transferred voluntarily regardless of whether or not such transfer was concealed. This interpretation is based upon the use of the conjunctive "and" placed between the two conditions set forth in Section...
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