UNITED STATES TAX COURT
Agency decision
Ask Donna
What actually matters in this document.
Text
T.C. Memo. 2006-36
UNITED STATES TAX COURT
PK VENTURES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES, ET AL.,1 Petitioners v.
COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent*
Docket Nos. 5836-99, 6395-99,
10154-99.
Filed March 7, 2006.
B. Gray Gibbs, Daniel C. Johnson, and Philip Alan Diamond,
for petitioners (at trial).
Sheldon M. Kay and Thomas Cullinan,
for petitioners (on reconsideration).
Kirk S. Chaberski and Benjamin A. de Luna, for respondent.
1
Cases of the following petitioners are consolidated
herewith: P.K. Ventures I Limited Partnership, Robert L. Rose,
Tax Matters Partner, docket No. 6395-99; Robert L. and Alice N.
Rose, docket No. 10154-99.
*This opinion supersedes T.C. Memo. 2005-56, which is
withdrawn by order served this date, as a result of a motion for
reconsideration filed subsequent to the release of T.C. Memo.
2005-56.
- 2 MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION
Table of Contents
FINDINGS OF FACT
..........................................
7
Background ...........................................
A.
Rose .......................................
B.
Printon Kane and Co. and the Printon Kane
Group, Inc. ................................
C.
PK Ventures ................................
D.
PKVI LP ....................................
7
7
8
9
11
PK Ventures’ Purchase of the Stock of SLPC, TBPC, TPC,
and TPTC .............................................
15
Rose’s Initial Receipt of an Equity Interest in
PK Ventures ..........................................
25
The Purchase of Zephyr
26
...............................
Transfers From PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC to Zephyr
and Zephyr’s Bankruptcy ..............................
A.
As Described in the Business’s Financial
Statements and Income Tax Returns ..........
1.
1987 ..................................
2.
1988 ..................................
3.
1989 ..................................
4.
1990 ..................................
B.
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Determinations .............................
Rose’s Acquisition of Control of PK Ventures and
PKVI LP ..............................................
29
30
30
31
32
33
34
35
Transfers From PK Ventures to the Zephyr Purchasers ..
A.
As Described in the Financial Statements
and Income Tax Returns for PK Ventures and
PKV&S ......................................
B.
As Described in the Roses’ Income Tax
Returns ....................................
C.
IRS Determinations .........................
42
Transfers to PKVI LP .................................
A.
Transfers From Unrelated Parties to
PKVI LP ....................................
47
43
46
47
47
- 3 B.
Transfers From PK Ventures and/or Its
Subsidiaries to PKVI LP ....................
1.
As Described in the Business’s
Financial Statements and Income Tax
Returns ...............................
a.
1986 .............................
b.
1987 .............................
c.
1988 .............................
d.
1989 .............................
e.
1990 .............................
f.
1991 .............................
g.
1992 .............................
h.
1993 .............................
2.
IRS Determinations ....................
Other Circumstances Surrounding PK Ventures’
Operations and Financial Arrangements ................
A.
Going Concern Notes in the Business’s
Financial Statements .......................
1.
PK Ventures, SLPC, TBPC, and TPTC .....
2.
PKVI LP ...............................
B.
Litigation Involving SLPC, TBPC, and TPTC ..
C.
Transfers From Rose to PK Ventures .........
Rose’s Wages for 1986 Through 1993 ...................
A.
Wages Received From Printon Kane and the
Printon Kane Group .........................
B.
Wages Recorded on PK Ventures’ Books and
Records ....................................
C.
Wages Reported on Income Tax Returns .......
D.
IRS Determinations .........................
PK Ventures’ Share of PKVI LP’s Items of Income and
Loss .................................................
A.
As Reported on PK Ventures’ Schedules K-1 ..
B.
As Reported on the Income Tax Returns for
PK Ventures and PKV&S ......................
C.
IRS Determinations .........................
The Roses’ Share of PKVI LP’s Items of Income and
Loss .................................................
A.
As Reported on Rose’s Schedules K-1 ........
B.
As Reported on the Roses’ Income Tax
Returns ....................................
C.
IRS Determinations .........................
55
58
58
59
60
61
63
64
66
67
67
70
70
70
70
72
73
74
76
76
79
82
85
85
86
87
88
88
89
92
- 4 The Roses’ Share of Zephyr’s Items of Income and
Loss .................................................
A.
As Reported on Rose’s Schedules K-1 ........
B.
As Reported on the Roses’ Income Tax
Returns ....................................
C.
IRS Determinations .........................
94
94
95
96
Transactions Involving SLPC, TPC, and the Roses
During 1994 and 1995 .................................
A.
As Described in SLPC and the Roses’ Income
Tax Returns ................................
B.
IRS Determinations .........................
99
100
Imposition of Accuracy-Related Penalties by the IRS
..
101
...................................................
102
OPINION
Procedural Matters
97
...................................
102
Issue #1--Transfers From PK Ventures to the Zephyr
Purchasers .................................
104
Issue #2--Transfers From PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC
to PKVI LP .................................
111
Issue #3--Transfers From PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC
to Zephyr ..................................
118
Issues #4 and #5--Partners’ Basis in PKVI LP
119
.........
Issue #6--The Roses’ Basis in Their Zephyr Interest
..
123
....
132
....................
138
..................................
151
Issue #7--The Roses’ Basis in Their SLPC Interest
Issue #8--Reasonable Compensation
Issue #9--Penalties
COHEN, Judge:
Respondent determined deficiencies and
penalties with respect to the Federal income taxes for petitioner
PK Ventures, Inc. and Subsidiaries (PKV&S), for 1990, 1991, 1992,
and 1993 as follows:
- 5 Year
Deficiency
Penalty
Sec. 6662(a)
1990
1991
1992
1993
$211,278
791,480
649,700
750,743
$2,269
9,517
1,316
–-
By Notice of Final Partnership Administrative Adjustment
(FPAA) dated January 11, 1999, respondent determined an upward
adjustment of $100,661 with respect to the ordinary income of
P.K. Ventures I Limited Partnership (PKVI LP) for 1991.
Robert L. Rose (Rose), the designated tax matters partner for
PKVI LP, filed a Petition for Readjustment of Partnership Items
Under Code Section 6226.
Respondent determined deficiencies, an addition to tax, and
penalties with respect to the Federal income taxes for
petitioners Robert L. and Alice N. Rose (the Roses) for 1990,
1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, and 1995 as follows:
Year
Deficiency
Addition to Tax
Sec. 6651(a)(1)
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
$11,729
90,133
503,928
177,286
248,981
397,096
–----$8,446
Penalty
Sec. 6662(a)
$2,346
18,027
100,786
35,457
–--
The principal issues tried and briefed in these consolidated
cases were:
(1) Whether a transfer of $1 million from PK Ventures, Inc.
(PK Ventures), to 10 individuals, 9 of whom were shareholders of
- 6 PK Ventures, in 1987 to enable them to purchase Zephyr Rock &
Lime, Inc. (Zephyr), was a bona fide loan and, if so, whether
that debt ever became worthless (Issue #1);
(2) whether transfers of funds from PK Ventures and/or its
subsidiaries to PKVI LP prior to and during 1990 and during 1991
were bona fide loans and, if so, whether such debts ever became
worthless (Issue #2);
(3) whether transfers of funds from PK Ventures and two of
its subsidiaries to Zephyr prior to 1990 were bona fide loans
and, if so, whether such debts ever became worthless (Issue #3);
(4) whether PK Ventures had sufficient basis in its PKVI LP
interest during 1990, 1991, 1992, and 1993 to deduct the losses
that it claimed from PKVI LP on PKV&S’s consolidated Federal
income tax returns for those years (Issue #4);
(5) whether the Roses had sufficient basis in their PKVI LP
interest during 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, and 1995 to deduct
the losses that they claimed from PKVI LP on their joint Federal
income tax returns for those years (Issue #5);
(6) whether the Roses had sufficient basis in their Zephyr
interest during 1990, 1991, and 1992 to deduct the losses that
they claimed from that S corporation on their joint Federal
income tax returns for those years (Issue #6);
(7) whether the Roses had sufficient basis in their
St. Louis Pipeline Corp. interest during 1994 and 1995 to deduct
- 7 the losses that they claimed from that S corporation on their
joint Federal income tax returns for those years (Issue #7);
(8) whether the compensation that Rose received from PKV&S
during 1992 and 1993 was reasonable (Issue #8); and
(9) whether the Roses are liable for accuracy-related
penalties under section 6662(a) for 1990, 1991, 1992, and 1993
(Issue #9).
Unless otherwise indicated, all section references are to
the Internal Revenue Code in effect for the years in issue, and
all Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and
Procedure.
Most amounts have been rounded to the nearest dollar.
FINDINGS OF FACT
Some of the facts have been stipulated, and the stipulated
facts are incorporated in our findings by this reference.
The
principal place of business of PKV&S was in Sarasota, Florida, at
the time that the petition was filed at docket No. 5836-99.
The
principal place of business of PKVI LP was in Tampa, Florida, at
the time that the petition was filed at docket No. 6395-99.
The
Roses resided in Florida at the time that the petition was filed
at docket No. 10154-99.
Background
A.
Rose
Rose obtained a bachelor’s degree in physics from Lancaster
University in England, an M.B.A. and a master’s degree in
- 8 education from Lehigh University, and a master’s degree from the
University of Pennsylvania.
Prior to 1985, Rose was employed by
Evantash Associates, Chemical Bank, Soloman Bros., Thompson
McKenan, Kidder Peabody, J.J. Lowry & Co., and Community College
of Philadelphia, among others.
Through his employment, Rose
gained experience in budgeting, financial futures, hedging
transactions, foreign currencies, and loan transactions.
B.
Printon Kane and Co. and the Printon Kane Group, Inc.
Printon Kane and Co. (Printon Kane), a Delaware limited
partnership, was, at all relevant times, in the business of
dealing in bonds and other investment opportunities.
Printon
Kane’s business was eventually transferred to the Printon Kane
Group, Inc. (Printon Kane Group), a Delaware corporation, during
1989.
Rose began working for Printon Kane in 1985 and was a
full-time employee of Printon Kane through 1988.
Rose remained
employed by Printon Kane during 1989 and by the Printon Kane
Group during 1989 and 1990.
Rose worked in the area of corporate
finance at Printon Kane and the Printon Kane Group.
In that
capacity, Rose acted as a loan broker and would attempt to find
lenders to fund small hydroelectric projects, cogeneration
projects, and coal mining projects.
In addition, Rose’s duties
at Printon Kane and the Printon Kane Group included seeking out
and developing investment opportunities for the firm.
- 9 C.
PK Ventures
On or about September 12, 1986, PK Ventures was organized as
a Delaware corporation for the purposes of acquiring, owning,
leasing, holding, operating, maintaining, and disposing of assets
such as pipelines and alternate energy facilities and engaging in
any and all activities related or incidental thereto.
Rose was
responsible for organizing PK Ventures as part of his duties to
develop investment opportunities for Printon Kane.
Sometime
before Rose organized PK Ventures, Rose and Printon Kane’s
management had agreed that he would receive an equity interest in
PK Ventures as part of his compensation for arranging this
investment opportunity for the firm.
PK Ventures was initially authorized to issue 1,000 shares
of stock.
As of September 16, 1986, PK Ventures had issued all
of those authorized shares to 11 individuals.
These initial
owners of PK Ventures included G. Clifford McCarthy, Jr.
(McCarthy), and 10 individuals who were either partners in or
employees of Printon Kane--Amos Beason (Beason), Francis Cerosky
(Cerosky), Robert Grimmig (Grimmig), Thomas Kane (Kane), Thomas
Kane, Jr. (Kane Jr.), Eugene Kirkwood (Kirkwood), Louis Krutoy
(Krutoy), Joseph Mannello (Mannello), Joel Marshall (Marshall),
and John Parker (Parker).
As of that date, PK Ventures’ stock
was owned in the following proportions:
- 10 Shareholder
Number of
Shares Owned
Percentage of
Shares Owned
McCarthy
Beason
Cerosky
Grimmig
Kane
Kane Jr.
Kirkwood
Krutoy
Mannello
Marshall
Parker
3
6
36
156
407
21
16
160
24
21
150
.3%
.6
3.6
15.6
40.7
2.1
1.6
16.0
2.4
2.1
15.0
The purchase price for these shares was $0.50 per share.
On September 15, 1986, Rose was elected by the shareholders
of PK Ventures as its sole director.
Rose then elected himself
as the president, treasurer, and secretary of the corporation.
Rose held the positions of sole director, president, treasurer,
and secretary of PK Ventures and operated PK Ventures out of his
office at Printon Kane until he resigned from those positions in
November 1988.
Krutoy replaced Rose as president of PK Ventures
from November 1988 through March 1990.
Although he resigned the
position of president of PK Ventures, Rose continued to run the
day-to-day operations of PK Ventures from his office at Printon
Kane or the Printon Kane Group from November 1988 through March
1990.
He then regained the positions of sole director and
president of PK Ventures and held those positions through 1993.
Rose’s duties for PK Ventures and later for PK Ventures and its
wholly owned subsidiaries--St. Louis Pipeline Corp. (SLPC), Tampa
Bay Pipeline Co. (TBPC), Tampa Pipeline Corp. (TPC), and Tampa
- 11 Pipeline Transport Co. (TPTC)–-included handling cash management
functions, payroll, insurance and risk management functions,
customer relations, and marketing.
During 1990, 1991, 1992, and 1993, PK Ventures operated as a
C corporation, used the accrual method of accounting, and was the
holding company for SLPC, TBPC, TPC, and TPTC.
During 1991,
1992, and 1993, PK Ventures and its subsidiaries employed
approximately 20 people.
Neither PK Ventures nor any of its
subsidiaries paid any dividends to their shareholders from 1986
through 1993.
D.
PKVI LP
On September 15, 1986, Rose, as sole director of
PK Ventures, adopted a resolution that PK Ventures, Rose, and
Herbert Patrick (Patrick), as general partners, would form
PKVI LP for the purposes of acquiring, owning, leasing, holding,
operating, maintaining, mortgaging, and disposing of
hydroelectric, cogeneration, and other energy projects.
PKVI LP
was subsequently organized as a Delaware limited partnership.
Rose was responsible for organizing PKVI LP as part of his duties
to develop investment opportunities for Printon Kane.
Sometime
before Rose organized PKVI LP, Rose and Printon Kane’s management
had agreed that he would receive an equity interest in PKVI LP as
part of his compensation for arranging this investment
opportunity for the firm.
- 12 The initial partners in PKVI LP included PK Ventures,
Patrick, Rose, McCarthy, and 10 other individuals who were
associated with Printon Kane--Beason, Cerosky, Grimmig, Kane,
Kane Jr., Kirkwood, Krutoy, Mannello, Marshall, and Parker.
Under the terms of the Agreement of Limited Partnership of
PK Ventures I Limited Partnership (agreement of limited
partnership), these partners made initial capital contributions
to PKVI LP in the following amounts and held the following
interests in PKVI LP as of September 15, 1986:
Partner
Initial Capital
Contribution
Participating
Percentage
Limited or
General
PK Ventures
Patrick
Rose
McCarthy
Beason
Cerosky
Grimmig
Kane
Kane Jr.
Kirkwood
Krutoy
Mannello
Marshall
Parker
$500
0
0
148
297
1,782
7,722
20,146
1,040
792
7,920
1,188
1,040
7,425
1.000%
40.000
30.000
.087
.174
1.044
4.524
11.803
.609
.464
4.640
.696
.609
4.350
General
General
General
Limited
Limited
Limited
Limited
Limited
Limited
Limited
Limited
Limited
Limited
Limited
The initial capital contributions to PKVI LP totaled
$50,000.
No other amounts transferred to PKVI LP were identified
as capital contributions on its books.
The terms of the
agreement of limited partnership required that, as of the end of
each fiscal year of the partnership, PKVI LP pay to each of its
partners interest on their capital contributions (as adjusted for
- 13 any subsequent contributions and withdrawals) at a rate equal to
the greater of (1) the prime rate as published in the Wall Street
Journal on the last business day of the fiscal year plus
2 percent or (2) such other floating or fixed rate authorized by
PK Ventures, the corporate general partner of PKVI LP.
In their roles as general partners of PKVI LP, Patrick was
responsible for the management of the partnership’s daily
operations, and Rose was responsible for the partnership’s
ongoing financial activities.
The terms of the agreement of
limited partnership provided that neither Rose nor Patrick would
be compensated for their services to the partnership.
As
corporate general partner of PKVI LP, PK Ventures had, inter
alia, the exclusive right, power, and authority to authorize
distributions of cash on behalf of PKVI LP.
PK Ventures also had
the exclusive right, power, and authority, subject to written
approval of the partnership’s limited partners holding at least
67 percent of the aggregate voting percentages of the limited
partners, to do the following:
(1) Make calls for additional
capital contributions on behalf of PKVI LP; (2) permit a
withdrawal of capital by any partner; (3) admit an additional
partner to the partnership; (4) permit the withdrawal of any
partner from the partnership; (5) designate any additional
investments for the partnership and determine the participating
percentages of the partners in such additional investments;
- 14 (6) sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the
partnership’s property attributable to any investment; (7) permit
any agreement between the partnership and any general partner or
any person controlled by or controlling or under common control
with a general partner; and (8) permit the transfer or
assignment, in whole or in part, by a partner of his interest in
the partnership.
The terms of the agreement of limited partnership provided
that the general partners of PKVI LP were under no obligation to
make any additional capital contributions to the partnership in
response to any capital calls made on behalf of the partnership
by PK Ventures.
A general partner’s participating percentage
could not be decreased as a result of not making any additional
capital contributions to PKVI LP, but it could be increased as a
result of making such a contribution.
A limited partner’s
participating percentage could be adjusted upward or remain the
same if that partner did make an additional capital contribution
to PKVI LP in response to a capital call, or it could be adjusted
downward if that partner did not make an additional capital
contribution in response to a capital call.
Patrick, Rose, and PK Ventures were the general partners of
PKVI LP from September 15, 1986, until sometime in 1989.
During
that time, PK Ventures owned a 1-percent interest, Rose owned a
30-percent interest, and Patrick owned a 40-percent interest.
- 15 Sometime during 1989, Patrick relinquished his interest in
PKVI LP.
As a result of Patrick’s withdrawal from PKVI LP, Rose
and PK Ventures became the partnership’s only general partners.
At that time, Rose held a 70-percent general partnership interest
in PKVI LP.
From May 1988 through January 1990, PK Ventures was
both a 1-percent general partner and a 4.35-percent limited
partner of PKVI LP.
PK Ventures’ Purchase of the Stock of SLPC, TBPC, TPC, and TPTC
On December 10, 1986, PK Ventures entered into separate
Stock Purchase Agreements for the purchase of 100 percent of the
outstanding stock of SLPC, TBPC, TPC, and TPTC.
At the time that
PK Ventures entered into these agreements, SLPC, TBPC, and TPC
were owned by Joyce Western Corp. (Joyce Western), and TPTC was
owned by Joyce Western, Kathleen Biondo, Christine Joyce, Helma
Joyce, and James Joyce (the TPTC sellers).
At all relevant
times, these corporations were engaged in the following
operations:
(1) SLPC owned a pipeline that transported aviation
fuel from Illinois to the Lambert Airport in St. Louis, Missouri;
(2) TBPC and TPTC owned pipelines that transported anhydrous
ammonia from the port of Tampa Bay, Florida, to Hillsborough
County, Florida, and Polk County, Florida; and (3) TPC held a
general partnership interest and/or a limited partnership
interest in Tampa Pipeline Limited Partnership, a business that
operated an aviation fuel pipeline that serviced the Tampa
- 16 International Airport.
As of December 10, 1986, TBPC and TPTC
owned two of the four existing anhydrous ammonia pipelines in the
United States.
Also as of that date, TBPC had leased the use of
its pipeline to W.R. Grace & Co. and Royster Co. (Royster), and
TPTC had leased the use of its pipeline to International
Minerals & Chemical Corp.
Under the terms of the Stock Purchase Agreements,
PK Ventures agreed to pay the following base purchase prices for
the stock of SLPC, TBPC, TPC, and TPTC:
Corporation
Base Purchase Price
SLPC
TBPC
TPC
TPTC
$150,000
1,000,000
50,000
1,300,000
The parties agreed that these base purchase prices would be
adjusted to reflect the amount by which each corporation’s
current assets differed from its current liabilities as of the
closing date.
On December 30, 1986, PK Ventures agreed to pay to Joyce
Western the following portions of the base purchase prices for
the stock of SLPC, TBPC, and TPC on the transaction’s closing
date:
Corporation
Amount Paid
SLPC
TBPC
TPC
$40,000
350,000
10,000
- 17 In addition, PK Ventures agreed to deliver to Joyce Western
nonnegotiable promissory notes in the following principal amounts
for the balances of the base purchase prices:
Corporation Promissory Note Amount
SLPC
TBPC
TPC
$110,000
650,000
40,000
Also on December 30, 1986, PK Ventures entered into an
Interim Loan Agreement (ILA) with Norstar Bank (Norstar) in
connection with its purchase of the stock of SLPC, TBPC, TPC, and
TPTC.
The ILA was a precursor to the permanent financing
arrangement that PK Ventures was to enter into with Norstar in
connection with this transaction.
The ILA required Norstar,
inter alia, to make a loan to PK Ventures in the form of a
revolving line of credit in the maximum principal amount of
$1.6 million.
This loan was secured by an irrevocable letter of
credit that the Summit Trust Co. (Summit Trust) issued in favor
of PK Ventures on December 31, 1986.
The terms of the loan
required that all outstanding principal amounts bear interest at
a rate equal to three-fourths of 1 percent above Norstar’s stated
prime rate, that payments of accrued interest and outstanding
principal amounts be made monthly, and that the entire
outstanding principal balance plus accrued interest become due
and payable at the time that the permanent financing was
finalized.
Advances under this loan were to be made, inter alia,
- 18 to pay to James Joyce or Joyce Western a total of $600,000 in two
installments--$400,000 was due to be paid at the closing of the
loan, and the balance was due to be paid at the earlier of the
closing of the permanent financing or February 1, 1987.
The ILA also set forth the details of the permanent
financing arrangement that was being negotiated between
PK Ventures and Norstar.
As set forth in the ILA, Norstar had
agreed to make one term loan to SLPC in the amount of
$1.1 million and one or more term loans to TBPC, TPC, and/or TPTC
in the total amount of $10.5 million.
The purpose of these term
loans was, inter alia, to refinance the indebtedness that SLPC,
TBPC, TPC, and TPTC owed to Norstar.
In addition to these term
loans, Norstar agreed to establish a 5-year revolving line of
credit in the maximum principal amount of $2.5 million for
PK Ventures ($2.5 million revolving line of credit).
Under the
terms of the permanent financing arrangement, the term loans to
SLPC, TBPC, TPC, and TPTC and the first $1.3 million of
outstanding principal on the $2.5 million revolving line of
credit were to be secured by a pledge of all of the stock of
SLPC, TBPC, TPC, and TPTC as well as a first mortgage on and
security interest in all of the assets of those corporations.
On December 31, 1986, PK Ventures closed on the purchase of
the stock of SLPC, TBPC, and TPC from Joyce Western.
On that
date, PK Ventures executed documents entitled “Non-Negotiable
- 19 Promissory Note” in favor of Joyce Western for the balances of
the base purchase prices for the stock of SLPC, TBPC, and TPC.
The terms of the Non-Negotiable Promissory Note for the balance
of the base purchase price for the stock of SLPC required that
the principal amount bear interest at a rate of 9 percent, that a
$10,000 principal installment payment be made on January 31,
1987, and that the remaining principal balance plus accrued
interest become due and payable no later than February 15, 1987.
The terms of the Non-Negotiable Promissory Note for the balance
of the base purchase price for the stock of TBPC required that
the principal amount bear interest at a rate of 9 percent, that a
$185,000 principal installment payment be made on January 31,
1987, and that the remaining principal balance plus accrued
interest become due and payable no later than February 15, 1987.
The terms of the Non-Negotiable Promissory Note for the balance
of the base purchase price for the stock of TPC required that the
principal amount bear interest at a rate of 9 percent, that a
$5,000 principal installment payment be made on January 31, 1987,
and that the remaining principal balance plus accrued interest
become due and payable no later than February 15, 1987.
These
promissory notes were subordinate to the indebtedness incurred by
PK Ventures, SLPC, TBPC, TPC, and TPTC to Norstar in connection
with PK Ventures’ acquisition of SLPC, TBPC, TPC, and TPTC.
- 20 Also on December 31, 1986, PK Ventures executed documents
entitled “Subordinated Note” in favor of the TPTC sellers in
exchange for the stock of TPTC.
The Subordinated Notes were
issued in the following amounts and were, in the aggregate, equal
to the base purchase price for the stock of TPTC:
TPTC Seller
Subordinated Note Amount
Joyce Western
Kathleen Biondo
Christine Joyce
Helma Joyce
James Joyce
$780,000
130,000
130,000
130,000
130,000
The terms of the Subordinated Notes required that the principal
balances bear interest at a rate of 7.6923 percent, that payments
of accrued interest be made monthly beginning on February 1,
1987, and that the principal balances become due and payable on
January 1, 1992.
The Subordinated Notes were subordinate to the
indebtedness incurred by PK Ventures, SLPC, TBPC, TPC, and TPTC
to Norstar in connection with PK Ventures’ acquisition of SLPC,
TBPC, TPC, and TPTC.
On or about February 3, 1987, SLPC, TBPC, and TPTC executed
documents entitled “Promissory Note” in favor of Norstar in which
they promised to pay to Norstar the principal amounts of
$1.1 million, $6.5 million, and $4 million, respectively.
The
terms of SLPC’s Promissory Note to Norstar required that the
outstanding principal balance bear interest at a rate of
10.25 percent, that the interest on the outstanding principal
- 21 amount be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year, that
payments of principal and accrued interest be made in equal
quarterly installments of $55,532 beginning on February 15, 1987,
and that any remaining balance of principal and accrued interest
become due and payable on February 3, 1994.
The terms of TBPC’s
Promissory Note to Norstar required that the outstanding
principal balance bear interest at a rate of 10.40 percent, that
the interest on the outstanding principal amount be calculated on
the basis of a 360-day year, that payments of principal and
accrued interest be made in equal monthly installments of $87,345
beginning on March 15, 1987, and that any remaining balance of
principal and accrued interest become due and payable on
February 3, 1997.
The terms of TPTC’s Promissory Note to Norstar
required that the outstanding principal balance bear interest at
a rate of 10.40 percent, that the interest on the outstanding
principal amount be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year,
that payments of principal and accrued interest be made in equal
monthly installments of $53,751 beginning on February 15, 1987,
and that any remaining balance of principal and accrued interest
become due and payable on February 3, 1997.
Also on or about February 3, 1987, PK Ventures executed a
document entitled “Master Note” in favor of Norstar in which it
promised to pay to Norstar the principal amount of $2.5 million
or, if less, the aggregate unpaid principal amount of all
- 22 advances made by Norstar to PK Ventures under the $2.5 million
revolving line of credit.
The terms of this Master Note required
that all outstanding principal amounts bear interest at a rate
equal to three-fourths of 1 percent above Norstar’s stated prime
rate, that the interest on the outstanding principal amounts be
calculated on the basis of a 360-day year, that PK Ventures make
payments of all accrued interest on the outstanding principal
amounts on a monthly basis, and that the line of credit expire on
January 1, 1992, with all amounts thereunder becoming immediately
due and payable.
On February 9, 1987, Norstar sent a letter to Rose to inform
him that it had transferred a total of $12.5 million in loan
proceeds to PK Ventures’ Norstar account.
This letter indicated
that, effective February 3, 1987, Norstar had advanced the
following loans:
Borrower
Loan Amount
SLPC
TBPC
TPTC
PK Ventures
$1,100,000
6,500,000
4,000,000
900,000
Norstar made the $900,000 advance to PK Ventures under the
$2.5 million revolving line of credit.
In addition, the letter
indicated that Norstar had “closed-out” previously outstanding
notes of SLPC, TBPC, TPC, and TPTC totaling $12,493,009.
Pursuant to Rose’s instructions, Norstar debited PK Ventures’
account for this amount.
- 23 On or about June 23, 1987, TBPC executed a document entitled
“Restated Promissory Note” in favor of Contel Credit Corp.
(Contel) in which it promised to pay to Contel the principal
amount of $5.3 million.
This Restated Promissory Note restated
and superseded the Promissory Note that TBPC had executed in
favor of Norstar on February 3, 1987, in the original principal
amount of $6.5 million.
The terms of the Restated Promissory
Note required that the outstanding principal balance bear
interest at a rate of 9.9 percent through June 14, 1992, and
10.25 percent thereafter, that the interest on the outstanding
principal amount be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year,
that payments of principal and accrued interest be made monthly
beginning on July 15, 1987, and that any remaining balance of
principal and accrued interest become due and payable on December
15, 1995.
Also on or about June 23, 1987, TPTC executed a document
entitled “Consolidation Note” in favor of Contel in which it
promised to pay to Contel the principal amount of $6.5 million.
The principal amount of this Consolidation Note included and
consolidated the principal balance of the Promissory Note that
TPTC had executed in favor of Norstar on February 3, 1987, in the
original principal amount of $4 million as well as the principal
balance of an Additional Advance Note that TPTC had executed in
favor of Contel in the original principal amount of $2.5 million.
- 24 The terms of the Consolidation Note required that the outstanding
principal balance bear interest at a rate of 9.9 percent through
June 14, 1992, and 10.25 percent thereafter, that the interest on
the outstanding principal amount be calculated on the basis of a
360-day year, that payments of principal and accrued interest be
made monthly beginning on July 15, 1987, and that any remaining
balance of principal and accrued interest become due and payable
on December 15, 1996.
Also on or about June 23, 1987, PK Ventures agreed to
guarantee the loans between TBPC and Contel and between TPTC and
Contel (collectively, the Contel debt) and to pledge all of the
stock of TBPC, TPC, and TPTC to secure the Contel debt.
In
addition, TBPC, TPC, and TPTC agreed to encumber all of their
assets to secure the Contel debt, and PK Ventures decided that
TBPC, TPC, and TPTC no longer had to guarantee or to secure the
first $1.3 million of outstanding principal on the $2.5 million
revolving line of credit or any other indebtedness owed by SLPC,
TBPC, TPC, or TPTC to Norstar.
PK Ventures also decided that
SLPC no longer had to guarantee or to secure the first
$1.3 million of outstanding principal on the revolving line of
credit.
PK Ventures, SLPC, TBPC, TPC, and TPTC (jointly referred to
as petitioner PKV&S) filed consolidated Federal income tax
returns for 1987 through 1993.
Prior to 1990, PK Ventures, SLPC,
- 25 TBPC, TPC, and TPTC each prepared separate financial statements.
Beginning in 1990 and continuing through 1993, PK Ventures, SLPC,
TBPC, TPC, and TPTC prepared consolidated financial statements.
These consolidated financial statements will be referred to as
PKV&S’s consolidated financial statements.
Any references to
PK Ventures in this Opinion should not be construed to include
its subsidiaries.
Rose’s Initial Receipt of an Equity Interest in PK Ventures
On or about August 19, 1987, PK Ventures adopted a
resolution to amend its Certificate of Incorporation to increase
the number of shares of stock that it was authorized to issue
from 1,000 to 20,000.
In connection with this amendment, the
150 shares of PK Ventures stock owned by Parker and the 36 shares
of PK Ventures stock owned by Cerosky were redeemed by
PK Ventures at a price of $0.50 per share.
Also in connection
with this amendment, Rose and the PK Ventures shareholders were
given the opportunity to purchase 9,186 shares of PK Ventures
stock at a price of $0.05 per share.
As a result of these
transactions, the stock of PK Ventures was owned in the following
proportions as of August 19, 1987:
- 26 Additional
Shareholder Shares Acquired
McCarthy
Beason
Grimmig
Kane
Kane Jr.
Kirkwood
Krutoy
Mannello
Marshall
Rose
Total
7
14
1,073
2,802
48
37
1,101
56
48
4,000
9,186
Total Shares
Owned After
Acquisition
Percentage of
Shares Owned After
Acquisition
10
20
1,229
3,209
69
53
1,261
80
69
4,000
10,000
.10%
.20
12.29
32.09
.69
.53
12.61
.80
.69
40.00
100.00
The Purchase of Zephyr
Zephyr, a Florida corporation, operated as an S corporation
during 1987.
Zephyr’s primary business was mining, processing,
and selling limestone from a quarry that it owned in Pasco
County, Florida.
As of August 19, 1987, Zephyr’s balance sheets
showed that its current liabilities exceeded its current assets
by $6,030,986.
Sometime before August 20, 1987, PK Ventures entered into a
stock purchase agreement with Elli M.A. Mills (Mills) to purchase
all of Zephyr’s issued and outstanding stock.
Prior to closing
this agreement, it was decided that, for certain business and tax
reasons, PK Ventures would assign its rights under the stock
purchase agreement to 10 individuals--Beason, Cerosky, Grimmig,
Kane, Kane Jr., Krutoy, Mannello, Marshall, McCarthy, and Rose
(collectively, the Zephyr purchasers)–-9 of whom were
shareholders of PK Ventures (i.e., Cerosky was no longer a
- 27 shareholder of PK Ventures) and 9 of whom were associated with
Printon Kane.
McCarthy was neither a partner in nor an employee
of Printon Kane.
On or about August 20, 1987, PK Ventures transferred
$1 million to the Zephyr purchasers.
received $400,000.
Of this $1 million, Rose
Rose and the other Zephyr purchasers used
this $1 million to purchase Zephyr’s stock from Mills, to cure
delinquent payments to Zephyr’s creditors, and to provide Zephyr
with working capital.
As of August 20, 1987, the Zephyr
purchasers owned interests in Zephyr and in PK Ventures as
follows:
Shareholder
Zephyr Shares
Owned
Percentage of
Zephyr Owned
Percentage of
PK Ventures Owned
Beason
Cerosky
Grimmig
Kane
Kane Jr.
Krutoy
Mannello
Marshall
McCarthy
Rose
Total
36
18
708
1,451
177
708
177
177
88
2,360
5,900
.610%
.305
12.000
24.593
3.000
12.000
3.000
3.000
1.492
40.000
100.000
.20%
0
12.29
32.09
.69
12.61
.80
.69
.10
40.00
99.47
PK Ventures obtained the $1 million that it transferred to
the Zephyr purchasers from Summit Trust (Summit Trust loan).
An
entity named Printon Kane Government Securities pledged a
$1 million certificate of deposit as collateral for the Summit
Trust loan.
PK Ventures accounted for the Summit Trust loan by
- 28 crediting a liability account, “Due to Summit Trust”, and
debiting an asset account, “Due from Shareholders”.
Also on or about August 20, 1987, PK Ventures and Zephyr
agreed to enter into a Management and Guaranty Inducement
Agreement.
Under the terms of the Management and Guaranty
Inducement Agreement, PK Ventures and Zephyr agreed that
PK Ventures would provide certain management services to Zephyr,
guarantee certain debts of Zephyr and the Zephyr purchasers, and
indemnify Mills with respect to his existing guarantees of
Zephyr’s debt.
In connection with the Management and Guaranty
Inducement Agreement, PK Ventures agreed to guarantee the
following:
(1) $500,000 of the purchase price to be paid by the
Zephyr purchasers for Zephyr’s stock; (2) payment of the amounts
due under Zephyr’s promissory note to NCNB National Bank of
Florida in the original principal amount of $2,615,000;
(3) payment of the amounts due under Zephyr’s promissory note to
Southeast Bank, N.A., in the principal amount $950,000; and
(4) liabilities that Zephyr incurred in the ordinary course of
its business.
On or about November 23, 1987, Summit Trust approved a
6-month renewal of the Summit Trust loan.
The terms of the
renewal required that the principal balance of the Summit Trust
loan bear interest at a rate of 1.5 percent over the rate of the
$1 million certificate of deposit being held as collateral, that
- 29 payments of accrued interest be made monthly beginning on
December 20, 1987, and that the principal balance and accrued
interest become due and payable on May 20, 1988.
On or about
June 6, 1988, the Summit Trust loan was renewed until May 20,
1989, under terms similar to those contained in the renewal of
November 23, 1987.
Transfers From PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC to Zephyr and Zephyr’s
Bankruptcy
After its acquisition by the Zephyr purchasers in 1987,
Zephyr continued to operate as a limestone mining business.
During 1987 and 1988, Zephyr received transfers totaling
$2,281,818 from the following sources:
Source
Amount
Printon Kane
PK Ventures
TBPC
TPTC
$1,450,000
446,215
263,296
122,307
During 1988, Zephyr unsuccessfully attempted to obtain financing
from ITT Commercial Finance Corp. and Tarmac Florida, Inc.
On December 6, 1988, Zephyr filed for bankruptcy under
Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code.
Among the creditors listed in
its bankruptcy documents were Printon Kane, PK Ventures, TBPC,
and TPTC.
The bankruptcy documents indicated that PK Ventures,
TBPC, and TPTC had transferred $831,818 to Zephyr, as set forth
above.
PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC each filed claims in Zephyr’s
bankruptcy proceeding on September 12, 1989.
Copies of canceled
- 30 checks and promissory notes were attached to each of these claims
as substantiation of the amounts owed.
Zephyr’s bankruptcy was finalized in late 1989.
Sometime
between the time that the bankruptcy was finalized and the end of
March 1990, a third party purchased Zephyr’s assets, and the
proceeds of that sale were distributed to specific secured and
unsecured creditors of Zephyr.
Neither Printon Kane,
PK Ventures, TBPC, nor TPTC received any of those proceeds.
As of December 31, 1990, the general ledger account used by
PK Ventures to account for certain transfers that it had made to
Zephyr had a net or remaining balance of $64,888.
A.
As Described in the Business’s Financial Statements
and Income Tax Returns
1.
1987
No direct references were made and no explanations were
provided in Zephyr’s Form 1120S, U.S. Income Tax Return for an
S Corporation, for 1987 as to the amounts that Zephyr received
from Printon Kane, PK Ventures, TBPC, or TPTC during that year.
On the Schedule L, Balance Sheets, attached to that return,
Zephyr reported $6,961,306 of “Mortgages, notes, bonds payable in
less than 1 year” and $902,669 of “Mortgages, notes, bonds
payable in 1 year or more” as of the end of 1987.
There were no
amounts separately identified as interest payments made and/or
imputed by Zephyr to PK Ventures, TBPC, or TPTC on Zephyr’s
Form 1120S for 1987.
- 31 No direct references were made and no explanations were
provided in PK Ventures, TBPC, or TPTC’s financial statements for
the year ended December 31, 1987, as to the amounts that
PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC transferred to Zephyr during that
year.
No direct references were made and no explanations were
provided in PKV&S’s consolidated income tax return for 1987 as to
the amounts that PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC transferred to
Zephyr during that year.
There were also no amounts separately
identified as interest payments received and/or imputed by
PK Ventures, TBPC, or TPTC from Zephyr on PKV&S’s consolidated
income tax return for 1987.
2.
1988
No direct references were made and no explanations were
provided in Zephyr’s Form 1120S for 1988 as to the amounts that
Zephyr received from Printon Kane, PK Ventures, TBPC, or TPTC
during that year.
On the Schedule L attached to that return,
Zephyr reported $7,318,462 of “Mortgages, notes, bonds payable in
less than 1 year”, $677,132 of “Other current liabilities”, and
$730,189 of “Mortgages, notes, bonds payable in 1 year or more”
as of the end of 1988.
There were no amounts separately
identified as interest payments made and/or imputed by Zephyr to
PK Ventures, TBPC, or TPTC on Zephyr’s Form 1120S for 1988.
- 32 No direct references were made and no explanations were
provided in PK Ventures, TBPC, or TPTC’s financial statements for
the year ended December 31, 1988, as to the amounts that
PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC transferred to Zephyr during that
year.
Furthermore, no mention of Zephyr’s bankruptcy was made in
PK Ventures, TBPC, or TPTC’s financial statements for the year
ended December 31, 1988.
On the Schedule L attached to PKV&S’s consolidated income
tax return for 1988, TBPC and TPTC reported a total of $385,603
due from Zephyr under “Other assets” as of the end of that year.
Of this amount, $263,296 was attributable to TBPC and $122,307
was attributable to TPTC.
These amounts were described as “DUE
FROM UNCONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARIES”.
There were no amounts
separately identified as interest payments received and/or
imputed by PK Ventures, TBPC, or TPTC from Zephyr on PKV&S’s
consolidated income tax return for 1988.
3.
1989
No direct references were made and no explanations were
provided in Zephyr’s Form 1120S for 1989 as to the amounts that
Zephyr received from Printon Kane, PK Ventures, TBPC, or TPTC
during that year.
this return.
Furthermore, no Schedule L was attached to
There were no amounts separately identified as
interest payments made and/or imputed by Zephyr to PK Ventures,
TBPC, or TPTC on Zephyr’s Form 1120S for 1989.
- 33 No direct references were made and no explanations were
provided in PK Ventures, TBPC, or TPTC’s financial statements for
the year ended December 31, 1989, as to the amounts that
PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC transferred to Zephyr during that
year.
Furthermore, no mention of Zephyr’s bankruptcy was made in
PK Ventures, TBPC, or TPTC’s financial statements for the year
ended December 31, 1989.
PKV&S claimed a $953,652 bad debt deduction on its
consolidated income tax return for 1989 for cash transfers that
PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC had made to Zephyr.
PKV&S did not
attach to this return an explanation for claiming this bad debt
deduction.
On the Schedule L attached to PKV&S’s consolidated
income tax return for 1989, PK Ventures and its subsidiaries
reported a total of $90,000 due from Zephyr under “Other assets”
as of the end of that year.
This amount was described as “DUE
FROM UNCONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARIES”.
There were no amounts
separately identified as interest payments received and/or
imputed by PK Ventures, TBPC, or TPTC from Zephyr on PKV&S’s
consolidated income tax return for 1989.
4.
1990
On its Form 1120S for 1990, Zephyr represented that “No
income or expense items where [sic] reported on the tax return
due to the fact that the corporation was not solvent after the
completion of the bankruptcy.”
- 34 PKV&S claimed a $664,888 bad debt deduction on its
consolidated income tax return for 1990 for cash transfers that
PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC had made to Zephyr and for the cash
transfers that PK Ventures had made to the nine Zephyr purchasers
other than Rose.
With respect to this bad debt deduction,
$64,888 was attributable to the cash transfers that PK Ventures
and/or its subsidiaries had made to Zephyr in prior years.
PKV&S
did not attach to this return an explanation for claiming this
bad debt deduction.
B.
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Determinations
The IRS determined that PKV&S was not allowed to claim a bad
debt deduction of $953,652 on its consolidated income tax return
for 1989 for cash transfers that PK Ventures and/or its
subsidiaries had made to Zephyr because it had not established
that a true debtor-creditor relationship was intended by these
transfers.
Furthermore, the IRS determined that, if a debt had
been intended, PKV&S had not established that such debt had
become worthless during 1989.
The effect of this determination
was to reduce the net operating loss carryover that PKV&S could
report on its consolidated income tax return for 1990 (as
amended) from $1,023,245 to $69,593.
Accordingly, the IRS
increased PKV&S’s taxable income by $953,652 for 1990.
The IRS also determined that PKV&S was not allowed to claim
a bad debt deduction of $64,888 on its consolidated income tax
- 35 return for 1990 for cash transfers that PK Ventures and/or its
subsidiaries had made to Zephyr because it had not established
that a true debtor-creditor relationship was intended by these
transfers.
Furthermore, the IRS determined that, if a debt had
been intended, PKV&S had not established that such debt had
become worthless during 1990.
Accordingly, the IRS increased
PKV&S’s taxable income by $64,888 for 1990.
The IRS determined that, with respect to the $64,888 of
transfers from PK Ventures and/or its subsidiaries to Zephyr for
which PKV&S had claimed a bad debt deduction on its consolidated
income tax return for 1990, 40 percent of that amount constituted
a constructive dividend to the Roses in 1990.
Consequently, the
IRS increased the Roses’ taxable income by $25,955 for 1990.
Rose’s Acquisition of Control of PK Ventures and PKVI LP
At the beginning of 1990, PK Ventures was experiencing
difficulty servicing its debt.
On February 16, 1990, Kane, Kane
Jr., Krutoy, Mannello, Rose, and PK Ventures executed a document
entitled “Agreement” (debt service agreement) whereby PK Ventures
agreed to repay the loans that it had outstanding with Norstar
and Summit Trust according to the schedule set forth in that
agreement.
As of that date, PK Ventures had an $800,000
outstanding principal balance with respect to its $2.5 million
revolving line of credit with Norstar and had not repaid the
Summit Trust loan.
- 36 According to the schedule set forth in the debt service
agreement, PK Ventures agreed to pay the outstanding principal
balance of the $2.5 million revolving line of credit plus any
accrued interest within 5 days from the date of the debt service
agreement.
Furthermore, PK Ventures agreed to make a $400,000
payment on the Summit Trust loan at the earlier of September 30,
1990, or the date that Rose acquired a majority interest in
PK Ventures.
PK Ventures was to repay the remaining $600,000 of
the Summit Trust loan at the loan’s maturity date, 12 months from
the date of the debt service agreement or as extended by Summit
Trust.
The debt service agreement also contained the following
provision:
3.3
Compensation. Until October 1, 1990, Robert
Rose’s salary, as Chief Executive Officer, will be
fixed at $80,000 per annum, payable bi-weekly.
The debt service agreement provided that PK Ventures was to
borrow funds from Rose if it did not have sufficient funds to
make the scheduled payments to Norstar and Summit Trust.
If
PK Ventures borrowed any funds from Rose, it was required to
execute a promissory note in Rose’s favor and to secure repayment
of the loan by placing a priority lien (as permitted) on all of
its assets.
In addition, any such loans between Rose and
PK Ventures were to be secured by an escalating pledge of the
shares of PK Ventures’ stock owned by Kane, Kane Jr., Krutoy, and
Mannello in an amount identified in a Pledge Agreement.
- 37 Certificates of deposit had been pledged as security for the
loans that PK Ventures had taken out with Norstar and Summit
Trust.
Specifically, an $800,000 certificate of deposit secured
the outstanding principal balance of the $2.5 million revolving
line of credit and a $1 million certificate of deposit from
Printon Kane Government Securities secured the Summit Trust loan.
Under the terms of the debt service agreement, PK Ventures was to
instruct Norstar and Summit Trust to release a like amount of the
certificates of deposit that they had been holding as collateral
to the receiving agent for Kane, Kane Jr., Krutoy, and Mannello
as it made the scheduled payments to these institutions.
As contemplated by the debt service agreement, PK Ventures
borrowed $800,000 from Rose on February 16, 1990, in order to
make its scheduled payment to Norstar.
Rose obtained a portion
of the funds for this loan by placing a $675,000 mortgage on his
New Jersey residence with First Fidelity Bank (First Fidelity).
Rose gathered the remaining $125,000 for this loan from other
sources.
In exchange for this $800,000 loan, PK Ventures
executed documents entitled “Promissory Note” and “Security
Agreement” in favor of Rose.
The terms of the Promissory Note
required that the principal amount bear interest at a rate equal
to 3 percent above First Fidelity’s stated prime rate, that
PK Ventures make payments of accrued interest on a monthly basis
beginning March 1, 1990, and that the principal balance become
- 38 due and payable on September 30, 1990.
In addition, Kane, Kane
Jr., Krutoy, and Mannello executed a document entitled “Pledge
Agreement” in favor of Rose.
Under the terms of the Pledge
Agreement, Kane, Kane Jr., Krutoy, and Mannello agreed to pledge
44 percent of their total shares of PK Ventures’ stock to Rose in
order to secure repayment of Rose’s $800,000 loan to PK Ventures.
As a result of entering into the Pledge Agreement, Kane, Kane.
Jr., Krutoy, and Mannello pledged a combined total of 2,032.36
shares of PK Ventures’ stock to Rose.
Also on February 16, 1990, Kane, Kane Jr., Krutoy, and
Mannello executed a document entitled “Voting Trust Agreement”
whereby they agreed to place all of their shares of PK Ventures’
stock into a voting trust in exchange for voting trust
certificates.
The voting trust certificates indicated their
ownership rights in the shares of stock held by the trustee.
Rose was designated as trustee of this voting trust and was given
sole authority to vote the shares.
As trustee of the voting
trust, Rose had voting rights to 86.19 percent of the shares of
PK Ventures’ stock.
(The Voting Trust Agreement granted Rose
voting rights to 46.19 percent of PK Ventures’ stock; he already
held voting rights to 40 percent of the shares of PK Ventures’
stock prior to becoming trustee of the voting trust.)
The shares
of PK Ventures’ stock placed into the voting trust included the
shares that had been pledged to Rose under the Pledge Agreement.
- 39 The voting trust was to last for 21 years from February 16, 1990,
unless terminated earlier by the death, resignation, or
incapacity of Rose.
Also on February 16, 1990, Kane, Kane Jr., Krutoy, and
Mannello executed documents entitled “Assignment” whereby they
agreed to transfer all of their respective interests in PKVI LP
to PK Ventures.
In sum, they transferred a 17.748-percent
limited partnership interest in PKVI LP to PK Ventures.
With
that transfer, PK Ventures held a 22.098-percent limited
partnership interest and a 1-percent general partnership interest
in PKVI LP.
PK Ventures satisfied its obligation to Norstar with the
$800,000 loan that it received from Rose.
PK Ventures repaid
this loan by making various cash payments to Rose and to First
Fidelity.
On December 7, 1990, a document entitled “Stock Redemption
Agreement” was executed by Cerosky (as a holder of an interest in
PKVI LP), the shareholders of PK Ventures (i.e., Beason, Grimmig,
Kane, Kane Jr., Kirkwood, Krutoy, Mannello, Marshall, McCarthy,
and Rose), and PK Ventures.
Under the terms of the Stock
Redemption Agreement, (1) PK Ventures agreed to redeem a total of
5,295 shares of its stock from the shareholders of PK Ventures
other than Rose (the withdrawing shareholders); (2) the
withdrawing shareholders agreed to sell, assign, and transfer
- 40 their ownership interests in all of PK Ventures’ subsidiaries
(i.e., SLPC, TBPC, TPC, and TPTC) to PK Ventures; and (3) Beason,
Cerosky, Grimmig, Kirkwood, Marshall, and McCarthy agreed to
transfer their ownership interests in PKVI LP to PK Ventures.
At the completion of the stock redemption on December 7,
1990, Kane and Rose were the only shareholders of PK Ventures,
with Rose owning 85.016 percent of PK Ventures’ outstanding
shares.
Rose and PK Ventures also became the only owners of
PKVI LP.
In sum, Beason, Cerosky, Grimmig, Kirkwood, Marshall,
and McCarthy transferred a 6.902-percent limited partnership
interest in PKVI LP to PK Ventures.
Consequently, as of
December 7, 1990, PK Ventures owned a 1-percent general
partnership interest and the entire 29-percent limited
partnership interest in PKVI LP, and Rose owned a 70-percent
general partnership interest in PKVI LP.
As consideration for the stock redemption and purchases
described above, PK Ventures agreed to repay the Summit Trust
loan based on the following schedule:
$400,000 on December 7,
1990, $50,000 within 9 months of December 7, 1990, and $550,000
within 1 year of December 7, 1990.
In addition, PK Ventures
agreed to instruct Summit Trust to release a like amount of the
$1 million certificate of deposit that it held as collateral for
the Summit Trust loan to the receiving agent for the withdrawing
- 41 shareholders with each scheduled payment that it made.
The
parties to the Stock Redemption Agreement also agreed as follows:
7.1 Release. The Company, Rose, and the
Shareholders acknowledge that there are certain
obligations and indebtedness existing between Rose and
the Company on the one hand and the Shareholders on the
other hand. It is the intent of the parties in
executing this Agreement that all such debts and
obligations, except as otherwise provided herein, be
hereby expressly extinguished. Accordingly, the
Shareholders hereby release Rose and the Company and
the Company and Rose, jointly and severally, release
the Shareholders with respect to any and all claims
which the Shareholders on the one hand may have against
Rose and/or the Company (including obligations of the
Company to repay the indebtedness to Summit as set
forth in the Agreement among Rose, the Certificate
Holders and the Company dated February 16, 1990) or,
respecting claims which Rose and/or the company may
have against the Shareholders excepting, as to all
parties, claims and obligations arising pursuant to
this Agreement, the * * * Pledge Agreement, the Voting
Trust Agreement, and any agreement executed in
conjunction with this Agreement * * *
In accordance with the Stock Redemption Agreement, Rose
loaned $400,000 to PK Ventures on December 7, 1990.
the $400,000 directly to Summit Trust.
Rose paid
Rose refinanced his
New Jersey home in order to obtain the funds for this loan.
In
exchange for the $400,000 loan, PK Ventures gave Rose a
promissory note.
PK Ventures accounted for the promissory note
by debiting the liability account to Summit Trust and crediting
the account “Due To/From PKV/RLR”.
PK Ventures repaid the
$400,000 directly to Rose’s mortgagee.
The series of agreements executed on February 16, 1990, were
amended, but not voided, by the Stock Redemption Agreement.
- 42 Under the terms of the Stock Redemption Agreement, the 705 shares
of PK Ventures’ stock that were not redeemed from Kane remained
subject to both the Voting Trust Agreement and the Pledge
Agreement.
Also on December 7, 1990, Rose, PK Ventures, and the Printon
Kane Group executed a document entitled “Agreement” (litigation
agreement) whereby they agreed to share the litigation costs
incurred to sue Raymond James & Associates.
The litigation
subject to the litigation agreement involved the business and
activities of Zephyr.
As a result of Zephyr’s bankruptcy, the
Zephyr purchasers had lost all of the cash that they had
contributed to Zephyr.
Transfers From PK Ventures to the Zephyr Purchasers
PK Ventures did not receive promissory notes from the Zephyr
purchasers in exchange for the $1 million that it transferred to
them.
No accrued interest attributable to this transfer was
posted to PK Ventures’ general ledger or reported in its audited
financial statements.
The Zephyr purchasers did not repay any portion of the
$1 million that had been transferred to them from PK Ventures.
PK Ventures neither took legal action against the Zephyr
purchasers to force repayment of the $1 million transfer nor did
it attempt to negotiate a partial collection of this amount with
any of the Zephyr purchasers.
PK Ventures issued Forms 1099 to
- 43 each of the Zephyr purchasers reflecting cancellation of
indebtedness income.
On August 5, 1991, the Roses sold their home in New Jersey
for $422,500.
The Roses purchased a home in Florida for $481,555
sometime between August 5, 1991, and March 16, 1992.
The Roses
paid the entire $481,555 purchase price with cash from their
savings.
On December 31, 1991, PK Ventures’ financial books and
records indicated that Rose owed $437,469 to PK Ventures.
This
balance was reduced to zero by “reclassifying” $400,000 as a bad
debt attributable to Rose’s portion of the $1 million that
PK Ventures had transferred to the Zephyr purchasers and by
“reclassifying” the remaining $37,469 as compensation expense
attributable to Rose.
A.
As Described in the Financial Statements and Income Tax
Returns for PK Ventures and PKV&S
Note 3 to PK Ventures’ audited financial statements for the
year ended December 31, 1987, stated:
$1,000,000 to the stockholders.
“The company has advanced
This money was advanced for the
sole purpose to acquire a company that would be compatible with
the business objectives of the Company.”
The same statement was
included in the notes to PK Ventures’ financial statements for
the years ended December 31, 1988, and December 31, 1989.
A
$1 million amount “Due from stockholders” was listed as an asset
on PK Ventures’ audited financial statements for the years ended
- 44 December 31, 1987, December 31, 1988, and December 31, 1989,
respectively.
A $1 million “Loans to stockholders” amount was listed as an
asset on the Schedules L attached to PKV&S’s consolidated income
tax returns for 1987, 1988, and 1989.
There were no amounts
separately identified as interest payments received and/or
imputed by PK Ventures from the Zephyr purchasers on PKV&S’s
consolidated income tax returns for 1987 through 1989.
On its audited consolidated financial statements for the
year ended December 31, 1990, PKV&S claimed a bad debt expense of
$664,888, $600,000 of which was attributable to the transfers
that PK Ventures had made to the nine Zephyr purchasers other
than Rose.
Note B to these financial statements offered the
following explanation for PKV&S asserting a bad debt expense with
respect to this $600,000 transfer:
The Company advanced $1,000,000 interest free to the
shareholders of the Company in 1987 which was invested
in Zephyr Rock & Lime, Inc. (“Zephyr”). In March 1990,
Zephyr sold all its assets and there were no funds left
to distribute to shareholders after paying liabilities.
Thereupon the Company ascertained that $600,000 of the
advances to shareholders was uncollectible and,
accordingly, charged $600,000 to 1990 operations. The
remaining balance of $400,000 at December 31, 1990 is
due from the Company’s majority shareholder and has
been netted against other advances from the
shareholder.
There is no explanation in these financial statements as to what
the balance of the $664,888 bad debt expense was attributable.
- 45 PKV&S claimed a $664,888 bad debt deduction on its
consolidated income tax return for 1990 for cash transfers that
PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC had made to Zephyr and for the cash
transfers that PK Ventures had made to the nine Zephyr purchasers
other than Rose.
With respect to this bad debt deduction,
$600,000 was attributable to the cash transfers that PK Ventures
had made to the nine Zephyr purchasers other than Rose.
PKV&S
did not attach to this return an explanation for claiming this
bad debt deduction.
There were no amounts separately identified
as interest payments received and/or imputed by PK Ventures from
the Zephyr purchasers on PKV&S’s consolidated income tax return
for 1990.
PKV&S claimed a bad debt expense of $1,712,151 on its
audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended
December 31, 1991.
Of this amount, $400,000 was attributable to
the transfer that PK Ventures had made to Rose in connection with
the Zephyr purchase.
Note 2 to these financial statements
offered the following explanation for PKV&S asserting a bad debt
expense with respect to this $400,000 transfer:
The Company advanced $1,000,000 interest free to the
shareholders of the Company in 1987 which was invested
in Zephyr Rock & Lime, Inc. (Zephyr). In March 1990,
Zephyr sold all its assets and there were no funds left
to distribute to shareholders after paying liabilities.
Thereupon the Company ascertained that $600,000 of the
advances to shareholders was uncollectible and,
accordingly, charged $600,000 to 1990 operations. The
remaining balance of $400,000 at December 31, 1990 was
due from the Company’s majority shareholder and netted
- 46 against other advances due to the shareholder. During
1991, the remaining $400,000 was determined to be
uncollectible and charged to 1991 operations.
PKV&S claimed a $1,916,246 bad debt deduction on its
consolidated income tax return for 1991 for the cash transfers
that PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC had made to PKVI LP and for the
cash transfer that PK Ventures had made to Rose in connection
with the Zephyr purchase.
With respect to this bad debt
deduction, $400,000 was attributable to the transfer that
PK Ventures had made to Rose in connection with the Zephyr
purchase.
There were no amounts separately identified as
interest payments received and/or imputed by PK Ventures from the
Zephyr purchasers on PKV&S’s consolidated income tax return for
1991.
B.
As Described in the Roses’ Income Tax Returns
There were no amounts separately identified as interest
payments made and/or imputed by the Roses to PK Ventures on their
joint income tax returns for 1990 or 1991.
On their joint income
tax return for 1991, the Roses reported $1,461,372 of
cancellation of indebtedness income.
The Roses reported that
$400,000 of this amount was attributable to the transfer that
PK Ventures had made to Rose in connection with the Zephyr
purchase.
- 47 C.
IRS Determinations
The IRS determined that PKV&S was not allowed to claim bad
debt deductions of $600,000 and $400,000 on its consolidated
income tax returns for 1990 and 1991, respectively, for the cash
transfers that PK Ventures had made to the Zephyr purchasers
because it had not established that a true debtor-creditor
relationship was intended by these transfers.
Furthermore, the
IRS determined that, if a debt had been intended, PKV&S had not
established that such debt had become worthless during either
1990 or 1991.
Accordingly, the IRS increased PKV&S’s taxable
income by $600,000 for 1990 and by $400,000 for 1991.
The IRS determined that PK Ventures’ transfer of $400,000 to
Rose in connection with the Zephyr purchase constituted a
constructive dividend to him in 1990.
Consequently, the IRS
increased the Roses’ taxable income by $400,000 for 1990 and
determined that the Roses should not have reported $400,000 of
cancellation of indebtedness income on their joint income tax
return for 1991.
Transfers to PKVI LP
A.
Transfers From Unrelated Parties to PKVI LP
At the time of its organization, PKVI LP was engaged in the
acquisition of three hydroelectric projects that were located in
or near Bynum, North Carolina; Henrietta, North Carolina; and
Columbus, Georgia, respectively.
A small portion of the
- 48 acquisition of these three hydroelectric projects was financed by
the initial capital contributions that were made to PKVI LP.
During the years in issue, the bulk of PKVI LP’s assets consisted
of hydroelectric powerplant projects in North Carolina and
Georgia.
PKVI LP’s debts to unrelated parties were generally
nonrecourse in nature and were secured by these hydroelectric
properties.
As of December 31, 1986, PKVI LP had loan agreements
outstanding with First Fidelity, Liberty Life Insurance Co.
(Liberty Life), and Middle Georgia Fuel Products, Inc. (MGFP), as
follows:
Lender
Maturity Date
Interest
Rate
First Fidelity
Liberty Life
MGFP
Jan. 27, 1987
Dec. 1, 1998
July 1, 1988
9.00%
10.50
10.00
Outstanding
Principal Balance
as of 12/31/86
$200,000
672,644
328,500
As of that date, the outstanding principal balances of the
transfers associated with these agreements totaled $1,201,144.
Of this $1,201,144, $227,326 was listed as a current
liability on the Statement of Financial Condition included in
PKVI LP’s audited financial statements for the year ended
December 31, 1986, and as “Mortgages, notes, and bonds payable in
less than 1 year” on the Schedule L attached to PKVI LP’s
Form 1065, U.S. Partnership Return of Income, for 1986.
The
balance of this amount was listed as a long-term liability on the
- 49 Statement of Financial Condition included in PKVI LP’s audited
financial statements for the year ended December 31, 1986, and as
“Mortgages, notes, and bonds payable in 1 year or more” on the
Schedule L attached to PKVI LP’s Form 1065 for 1986.
As of December 31, 1987, PKVI LP had loan agreements
outstanding with First Fidelity, Liberty Life, MGFP, and Trio
Manufacturing Co. (Trio) as follows:
Lender
Maturity Date
Interest
Rate
First Fidelity
First Fidelity
Liberty Life
MGFP
Trio
Feb. 1, 1988
Feb. 1, 1988
Dec. 1, 1998
July 1, 1988
Mar. 12, 1988
10.50%
10.25
10.50
10.00
10.00
Outstanding
Principal Balance
as of 12/31/87
$320,000
15,000
645,318
328,500
517,500
As of that date, the outstanding principal balances of the
transfers associated with these agreements totaled $1,826,318.
Of this $1,826,318, $1,213,953 was listed as a current
liability on the Balance Sheet included in PKVI LP’s audited
financial statements for the year ended December 31, 1987, and as
“Mortgages, notes, and bonds payable in less than 1 year” on the
Schedule L attached to PKVI LP’s Form 1065 for 1987.
The balance
of this amount was listed as a long-term liability on the Balance
Sheet included in PKVI LP’s audited financial statements for the
year ended December 31, 1987, and as “Mortgages, notes, and bonds
payable in 1 year or more” on the Schedule L attached to
PKVI LP’s Form 1065 for 1987.
- 50 As of December 31, 1988, PKVI LP had the following loan
agreements outstanding:
Lender
Maturity Date
Interest
Rate
Daley Corp.
First Fidelity
First Fidelity
Liberty Life
Liberty Life
Liberty Life
MGFP
July 1, 1989
Jan. 18, 1989
Jan. 18, 1989
Dec. 1, 1998
Apr. 1, 2001
Aug. 20, 2001
Mar. 31, 1990
-11.50%
12.00
10.50
10.70
11.35
10.00
Outstanding
Principal Balance
as of 12/31/88
$3,416
75,000
50,000
612,365
800,000
400,000
328,500
As of that date, the outstanding principal balances of the
transfers associated with these agreements totaled $2,269,281.
Of this $2,269,281, $193,060 was listed as a current
liability on the Statement of Financial Condition included in
PKVI LP’s audited financial statements for the year ended
December 31, 1988, and as “Mortgages, notes, and bonds payable in
less than 1 year” on the Schedule L attached to PKVI LP’s
Form 1065 for 1988.
The balance of this amount was listed as a
long-term liability on the Statement of Financial Condition
included in PKVI LP’s audited financial statements for the year
ended December 31, 1988, and as “Mortgages, notes, and bonds
payable in 1 year or more” on the Schedule L attached to
PKVI LP’s Form 1065 for 1988.
As of December 31, 1989, PKVI LP had the following loan
agreements outstanding:
- 51 -
Lender
Maturity Date
Interest
Rate
First Fidelity
MGFP
Jan. 16, 1990
Mar. 31, 1990
12.00%
10.00
Outstanding
Principal Balance
as of 12/31/89
$125,000
328,500
PKVI LP entered into the $125,000 loan agreement with First
Fidelity on or before October 16, 1989.
PKVI LP also had the same loan agreements outstanding with
Liberty Life on December 31, 1989, as it did on December 31,
1988.
The outstanding principal balances of PKVI LP’s loan
agreements with Liberty Life totaled $1,778,241 as of
December 31, 1989; $1,652,584 of this amount was treated as
long-term debt on PKVI LP’s audited financial statements for the
year ended December 31, 1989, and the balance was treated as a
current liability.
The outstanding principal balances of the transfers
associated with the agreements described in the preceding two
paragraphs totaled $2,231,741 as of December 31, 1989.
Of this
amount, $579,157 was listed as a current liability on the
Statement of Financial Condition included in PKVI LP’s audited
financial statements for the year ended December 31, 1989, and as
“Mortgages, notes, and bonds payable in less than 1 year” on the
Schedule L attached to PKVI LP’s Form 1065 for 1989.
The balance
of this amount was listed as a long-term liability on the
Statement of Financial Condition included in PKVI LP’s audited
financial statements for the year ended December 31, 1989, and as
- 52 “Mortgages, notes, and bonds payable in 1 year or more” on the
Schedule L attached to PKVI LP’s Form 1065 for 1989.
PKVI LP renegotiated its loan agreement with MGFP during
1990.
The renegotiated loan agreement between PKVI LP and MGFP
was for the principal balance of $401,284, an amount that
included the $328,500 principal balance from their original loan
agreement plus $72,784 of accrued interest.
As of December 31, 1990, PKVI LP had the following loan
agreements outstanding:
Lender
Maturity Date
Interest
Rate
Liberty Life
Liberty Life
Liberty Life
MGFP
Dec. 1, 1998
Apr. 1, 2001
Aug. 20, 2001
Dec. 31, 1991
10.50%
10.70
11.35
10.00
Outstanding
Principal Balance
as of 12/31/90
$559,372
762,224
387,716
401,284
As of that date, the outstanding principal balances of the
transfers associated with these agreements totaled $2,110,596.
On the Balance Sheet included in PKVI LP’s audited financial
statements for the year ended December 31, 1990, PKVI LP’s
“Current portion of long-term debt” was listed as $403,473, and
its “LONG-TERM DEBT DUE AFTER ONE YEAR” was listed as $1,829,201.
On the Schedule L attached to PKVI LP’s Form 1065 for 1990,
“Mortgages, notes, and bonds payable in less than 1 year” was
listed as $425,000 as of the end of that year, and “Mortgages,
notes, and bonds payable in 1 year or more” was listed as
$1,685,596.
- 53 On February 15, 1991, PKVI LP and Liberty Life agreed to
consolidate their three outstanding loan agreements into one
agreement.
The principal balance of this consolidated loan
agreement was $1,854,939, an amount that included the $1,709,312
of outstanding principal balances from the three original loan
agreements between PKVI LP and Liberty Life plus $145,628 of
accrued interest.
The interest rate for this consolidated loan
agreement was 10.78 percent, i.e., the weighted average of the
interest rates from the original loan agreements.
PKVI LP experienced difficulties with its Georgia
hydroelectric facilities, City Mills and Juliette, during 1991.
As a result, PKVI LP defaulted on the loan agreement it had
entered with MGFP to finance the Juliette facility.
As noted
above, PKVI LP and MGFP had renegotiated this loan agreement
during 1990.
In addition, PKVI LP failed to make the required
payments of principal on its consolidated loan agreement with
Liberty Life.
These payments were scheduled to begin on August
15, 1991.
As of December 31, 1991, PKVI LP had the following loan
agreements outstanding:
Lender
Maturity Date
Interest
Rate
Liberty Life
MGFP
Aug. 15, 2003
Dec. 31, 1991
10.78%
10.00
Outstanding
Principal Balance
as of 12/31/91
$1,854,939
401,284
- 54 As of that date, the outstanding principal balances of the
transfers associated with these agreements totaled $2,256,223.
PKVI LP’s financial statements for the year ended
December 31, 1991, are not part of the record in these cases.
On
the Balance Sheets included in PKVI LP’s reviewed financial
statements for the year ended December 31, 1992, PKVI LP’s total
and current liabilities were listed as $2,334,551 as of
December 31, 1991.
The $2,334,551 included $2,256,223 for
long-term debt in default, $76,058 for accrued expenses, and
$2,270 for accounts payable.
On the Schedule L attached to
PKVI LP’s Form 1065 for 1991, $2,256,223 was listed under
“Mortgages, notes, and bonds payable in less than 1 year” as of
the end of that year.
As of December 31, 1992, PKVI LP had loan agreements
outstanding with Liberty Life and MGFP.
As of that date, the
outstanding principal balances of the transfers associated with
these agreements remained $2,256,223.
This entire amount was
listed as a current liability on the Balance Sheets included in
PKVI LP’s reviewed financial statements for the year ended
December 31, 1992.
On the Schedule L attached to PKVI LP’s
Form 1065 for 1991, $335,448 was listed under “Mortgages, notes,
and bonds payable in less than 1 year” as of the end of that
year, and $2,528,779 was listed under “All nonrecourse loans”.
- 55 As of December 31, 1993, the loan agreement that PKVI LP had
with Liberty Life remained outstanding.
As of that date, the
outstanding principal balance of this loan agreement remained
$1,854,939.
This entire amount was listed as a current liability
on the Balance Sheets included in PKVI LP’s reviewed financial
statements for the year ended December 31, 1993.
There was no
Schedule L attached to PKVI LP’s Form 1065 for 1993.
B.
Transfers From PK Ventures and/or Its Subsidiaries to
PKVI LP
Between 1986 and the end of 1991, PK Ventures, TBPC, and
TPTC made cash transfers to PKVI LP.
On PK Ventures’ general
ledger, these transfers were treated as loans.
Rose executed
one-page documents entitled “Promissory Note” (PKVI LP promissory
note) with respect to some, but not all, of these transfers.
The
terms of the PKVI LP promissory notes required that (1) the
transfers be repaid on demand with an interest rate of either
8.75 or 9 percent; (2) payment of interest was due only with the
payment of principal; and (3) payment of principal was not to be
made if payment to PK Ventures would have caused PKVI LP to
default or breach any other note or agreement to which PKVI LP
was a party.
This last provision subordinated PK Ventures’ right
to demand payment of the transfers to the rights of PKVI LP’s
creditors.
Unlike the basic structure of PKVI LP’s debt to
unrelated parties, the PKVI LP promissory notes were not secured
by the hydroelectric properties owned by PKVI LP.
The PKVI LP
- 56 promissory notes were signed by Rose alone; they were neither
attested to by a witness nor notarized.
On December 31, 1989, Rose executed a PKVI LP promissory
note in favor of PK Ventures in which PKVI LP promised to pay
PK Ventures the principal amount of $448,646 ($448,646 promissory
note).
The $448,646 promissory note reflected the aggregate
amount of cash that had been transferred from PK Ventures, TBPC,
and TPTC to PKVI LP from 1986 through 1989.
PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC made cash transfers to PKVI LP
totaling $647,605 during 1990.
On December 31, 1990, Rose
executed a PKVI LP promissory note in favor of PK Ventures in
which PKVI LP promised to pay PK Ventures the principal amount of
$1,096,250 ($1,096,250 promissory note).
The $1,096,250
promissory note reflected the aggregate amount of cash that had
been transferred from PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC to PKVI LP from
1986 through 1990.
PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC made transfers to PKVI LP
totaling $419,995 during 1991.
On December 31, 1991, Rose
executed a PKVI LP promissory note in favor of PK Ventures in
which PKVI LP promised to pay PK Ventures the principal amount of
$1,516,246 ($1,516,246 promissory note).
The $1,516,246
promissory note reflected the aggregate amount of cash that had
been transferred from PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC to PKVI LP from
1986 through 1991.
At the time that Rose signed the $1,516,246
- 57 promissory note, he did not intend to have PKVI LP repay any of
this amount to PK Ventures.
In addition, Rose, as a general
partner with a 70-percent interest in PKVI LP, did not intend to
repay any of this amount to PK Ventures at the time that he
signed the $1,516,246 promissory note.
No legal action was taken by PK Ventures against Rose to
force repayment of the $1,516,246 promissory note.
Rose owned
approximately 85 percent of the stock of PK Ventures during 1991.
In a letter dated July 6, 1992, to Douglas W. Kroske,
C.F.A., senior vice president of Liberty Capital Advisors, Inc.,
Rose made the following statements concerning the transfers from
PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC to PKVI LP:
Since 1986, PK Ventures Inc has invested over
$1.5 million in these hydroelectric projects, and is
willing to continue but needs some help from Liberty
Life. * * *
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
There has been a delay on the financial statements for
the year ending 12/31/91. During the year based on
Ernst & Young’s review, $419,996 cash was provided to
the Partnership from PK Ventures, Inc. Since inception
to 12/31/91 a total amount of $1,516,246 has been
injected, and our auditors are now going to make
PK Ventures Inc write this off as it is an
uncollectible claim against the Partnership. The
$419,996 cash of 1991, was used approximately for
equipment and Bynum canal repairs of $225,661, and the
balance used in payments to Liberty Life.
- 58 1.
As Described in the Business’s Financial Statements
and Income Tax Returns
a.
1986
No direct references were made and no explanations were
provided in PKVI LP’s audited financial statements for the year
ended December 31, 1986, as to the amounts that PKVI LP received
from PK Ventures during that year.
On PK Ventures’ Schedule K-1, Partner’s Share of Income,
Credits, Deductions, etc., attached to PKVI LP’s Form 1065 for
1986, PK Ventures was reported to have made a $500 capital
contribution to PKVI LP during that year and to have a capital
account with a balance of $242 as of the end of that year.
No
other direct references were made and no other explanations were
provided in PKVI LP’s Form 1065 for 1986 as to the amounts that
PKVI LP received from PK Ventures during that year.
There were
also no amounts separately identified as interest payments made
and/or imputed by PKVI LP to PK Ventures on its Form 1065 for
1986.
On the Statement of Financial Condition included in
PK Ventures’ audited financial statements for the year ended
December 31, 1986, a $242 “Investment in affiliated partnership”
was listed as an asset.
This entry referred to PK Ventures’
investment in PKVI LP.
The $242 was listed under “Other
investments” on the Schedule L attached to PK Ventures’ income
tax return for 1986.
No other direct references were made and no
- 59 other explanations were provided in PK Ventures’ financial
statements for 1986 as to the amounts that it transferred to
PKVI LP during that year.
No direct references were made and no explanations were
provided in PK Ventures’ income tax return for 1986 as to the
amounts that it transferred to PKVI LP during that year.
There
were no amounts separately identified as interest payments
received and/or imputed by PK Ventures from PKVI LP on
PK Ventures’ income tax return for 1986.
b.
1987
No direct references were made and no explanations were
provided in PKVI LP’s financial statements for 1987 as to the
amounts that PKVI LP received from PK Ventures, TBPC, or TPTC
during that year.
On the Balance Sheet included in PKVI LP’s
audited financial statements for the year ended December 31,
1987, $48,300 “Due to affiliated company” was listed as a current
liability.
No direct references were made and no explanations were
provided in PKVI LP’s Form 1065 for 1987 as to the amounts that
PKVI LP received from PK Ventures, TBPC, or TPTC during that
year.
On the Schedule L attached to PKVI LP’s Form 1065 for
1987, $48,300 was listed under “Other liabilities” as of the end
of that year.
There were no amounts separately identified as
- 60 interest payments made and/or imputed by PKVI LP to PK Ventures,
TBPC, or TPTC on its Form 1065 for 1987.
No direct references were made and no explanations were
provided in PK Ventures, TBPC, or TPTC’s financial statements for
the year ended December 31, 1987, as to the amounts that
PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC transferred to PKVI LP during that
year.
No direct references were made and no explanations were
provided in PKV&S’s consolidated income tax return for 1987 as to
the amounts that PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC transferred to
PKVI LP during that year.
There were no amounts separately
identified as interest payments received and/or imputed by
PK Ventures, TBPC, or TPTC from PKVI LP on PKV&S’s consolidated
income tax return for 1987.
c.
1988
Note 4 to PKVI LP’s audited financial statements for the
year ended December 31, 1988, stated, in pertinent part:
“At
December 31, 1988, the Partnership owed $20,580 to P.K. Ventures,
Inc. and $105,978 to affiliated entities which are respectively
owned by the Partnerships’ general partners.”
On the Statement
of Financial Condition included in PKVI LP’s audited financial
statements for the year ended December 31, 1988, $126,558 “Due to
affiliated company” was listed as a current liability.
- 61 On the Schedule L attached to PKVI LP’s Form 1065 for 1988,
$126,558 “Due to Affiliated Company” was listed under “Other
current liabilities” as of the end of that year.
There were no
amounts separately identified as interest payments made and/or
imputed by PKVI LP to PK Ventures, TBPC, or TPTC on its Form 1065
for 1988.
No direct references were made and no explanations were
provided in PK Ventures, TBPC, or TPTC’s financial statements for
the year ended December 31, 1988, as to the amounts that
PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC transferred to PKVI LP during that
year.
On the Schedule L attached to PKV&S’s consolidated income
tax return for 1988, PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC reported
$118,558 due from PKVI LP under “Other assets” as of the end of
that year.
Of this amount, $20,580 was attributable to
PK Ventures, $48,000 was attributable to TBPC, and $49,978 was
attributable to TPTC.
There were no amounts separately
identified as interest payments received and/or imputed by
PK Ventures, TBPC, or TPTC from PKVI LP on PKV&S’s consolidated
income tax return for 1988.
d.
1989
Note 4 to PKVI LP’s audited financial statements for the
year ended December 31, 1989, stated, in pertinent part:
December 31, 1989, the Partnership owed $448,646 to
“At
- 62 P.K. Ventures, Inc. and $107,978 to companies affiliated with
P.K. Ventures, Inc.”
On the Statement of Financial Condition
included in PKVI LP’s audited financial statements for the year
ended December 31, 1989, $556,624 “Due to affiliated company” was
listed as a liability.
No direct references were made and no explanations were
provided in PKVI LP’s Form 1065 for 1989 as to the amounts that
PKVI LP received from PK Ventures, TBPC, or TPTC during that
year.
On the Schedule L attached to PKVI LP’s Form 1065 for
1989, $556,624 “Due to Affiliated Company” was listed under
“Other current liabilities” as of the end of that year.
There
were no amounts separately identified as interest payments made
and/or imputed by PKVI LP to PK Ventures, TBPC, or TPTC on its
Form 1065 for 1989.
No direct references were made and no explanations were
provided in PK Ventures, TBPC, or TPTC’s financial statements for
the year ended December 31, 1989, as to the amounts that
PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC transferred to PKVI LP during that
year.
On the Schedule L attached to PKV&S’s consolidated income
tax return for 1989, PK Ventures and its subsidiaries reported
$556,624 due from PKVI LP under “Other assets” as of the end of
that year.
There were no amounts separately identified as
interest payments received and/or imputed by PK Ventures, TBPC,
- 63 or TPTC from PKVI LP on PKV&S’s consolidated income tax return
for 1989.
e.
1990
Contrary to the terms of the PKVI LP promissory notes,
Note D to PKVI LP’s audited financial statements for the year
ended December 31, 1990, stated that the transfers that had been
received by PKVI LP from PK Ventures (totaling $1,096,250) did
not bear interest.
Note D also stated that there was no stated
maturity date with respect to these transfers and that PKVI LP
anticipated that it would repay PK Ventures when cash was
available.
On the Balance Sheets included in these financial
statements, $1,096,250 “DUE TO AFFILIATED COMPANY” was listed as
a liability.
On the Schedule L attached to PKVI LP’s Form 1065 for 1990,
$1,096,250 “DUE TO AFFILIATED COMPANIES” was listed under “Other
liabilities” as of the end of that year.
On its Form 1065 for
1990, PKVI LP reported imputed interest payments totaling
$67,772.
There were no amounts separately identified as interest
payments made and/or imputed by PKVI LP to PK Ventures, TBPC, or
TPTC on its Form 1065 for 1990.
Note C to the audited consolidated financial statements of
PKV&S for the year ended December 31, 1990, stated the following:
The Company has a receivable of $1,096,250 from
PK Ventures I Limited Partnership (“LTD”) in which it
has a 1% general partnership interest and a 29% limited
partnership interest. The Company’s investment in and
- 64 advances to LTD have been reduced by $75,000 under the
equity method of accounting. At December 31, 1990, LTD
has a deficit of $667,000 and incurred a net loss of
$262,000 in 1990. The management of LTD is completing
construction of certain operating facilities and
believes that LTD will become profitable in the future
and be able to repay the advances from the Company.
The collectibility of the receivable is dependent upon
future events which cannot be predicted at this time.
On the Consolidated Balance Sheets included in these financial
statements, $1,027,577 for “INVESTMENT IN AND ADVANCES TO LIMITED
PARTNERSHIPS” was listed as an asset.
Of the $1,027,577,
$1,021,250 was attributable to an amount “Due from Limited
Partnership” for PK Ventures and $6,327 was attributable to an
“Investment in limited partnerships” by TPC.
On the Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows included in these financial statements,
$539,626 for “Advances to limited partnership” was listed under
investing activities.
On the Schedule L attached to PKV&S’s consolidated income
tax return for 1990, PK Ventures reported $1,116,250 due from
PKVI LP under “Other current assets” as of the end of that year.
On its consolidated income tax return for 1990, PKV&S reported
that PK Ventures had imputed interest payments from PKVI LP under
section 7872 totaling $67,772.
f.
1991
PKVI LP’s financial statements for the year ended
December 31, 1991, are not part of the record in these cases.
- 65 On the Schedule L attached to PKVI LP’s Form 1065 for 1990,
no amount “DUE TO AFFILIATED COMPANIES” was listed under “Other
liabilities” as of the end of that year.
On its Form 1065 for
1991, PKVI LP reported imputed interest payments totaling
$100,661.
There were no amounts separately identified as
interest payments made and/or imputed by PKVI LP to PK Ventures,
TBPC, or TPTC on its Form 1065 for 1991.
PKV&S claimed a bad debt expense of $1,712,151 on its
audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended
December 31, 1991.
Of this amount, $1,312,151 was attributable
to the transfers that PK Ventures had made to PKVI LP in 1991 and
prior years.
Note 3 to these financial statements offered the
following explanation for PKV&S’ claiming a bad debt expense with
respect to these transfers:
At December 31, 1990, the Company had made $1,096,250
of noninterest-bearing advances to PK Ventures I
Limited Partnership (LTD) in which it has a 1% general
partnership interest and a 29% limited partnership
interest. The Company made additional advances to LTD
in 1991 of $419,996, principally to fund operating
losses. Management of the Company believes that
recovery of its advances to and investment in LTD is
unlikely and, accordingly, has forgiven advances
amounting to $1,312,151 in 1991 and charged bad debts
expense. The Company also recorded losses under the
equity method of $129,095 in 1991 and $75,000 in 1990.
PKV&S claimed a $1,916,246 bad debt deduction on its
consolidated income tax return for 1991 for the cash transfers
that PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC had made to PKVI LP and for the
cash transfer that PK Ventures had made to Rose in connection
- 66 with the Zephyr purchase.
With respect to this bad debt
deduction, PKV&S reported that $1,516,246 was attributable to the
$1,516,246 promissory note’s being uncollectible.
On its
consolidated income tax return for 1991, PKV&S reported that
PK Ventures had imputed interest payments from PKVI LP under
section 7872 totaling $100,661.
g.
1992
The reviewed financial statements of PKVI LP for the year
ended December 31, 1992, indicate that PK Ventures, as PKVI LP’s
sole limited partner, continued to transfer funds to PKVI LP
during 1992.
Note 4 to these financial statements stated the
following:
At December 31, 1991, the general partner,
P K Ventures, Inc. forgave advances totaling
$1,516,246. At December 31, 1992, the Partnership owed
the limited partner $335,448 in the form of demand
notes at 9% interest. These notes cannot be repaid if
such payment causes defaults with regard to other debt
agreements. Interest of $10,645 was incurred but not
paid during 1992 related to these notes.
On the Balance Sheets included in these financial statements,
$335,448 for “Notes payable to limited partner” was listed as a
current liability.
On the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows included in
PKV&S’s audited consolidated financial statements for the year
ended December 31, 1992, there was no amount listed for “Advances
to limited partnership” under the “Investing activities” section.
Note 3, “Due From Limited Partnership”, to these financial
- 67 statements does not mention that any transfers had been made from
PK Ventures to PKVI LP during 1992.
h.
1993
PKVI LP’s reviewed financial statements for the year ended
December 31, 1993, indicate that PKVI LP received transfers from
PK Ventures totaling $242,073 during 1993.
Note 4 to PKVI LP’s
reviewed financial statements for the year ended December 31,
1993, stated:
“At December 31, 1993, the Partnership owed one
limited partner $577,521 in the form of demand notes at interest
rates ranging from 8% to 9%.
Interest of $31,201 and $10,645 was
incurred but not paid during 1993 and 1992, respectively.”
On
the Balance Sheets included in these financial statements,
$577,521 for “Notes payable to limited partner” was listed as a
current liability.
On the Consolidating Balance Sheet included in PKV&S’s
audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended
December 31, 1993, there were no amounts listed as “Due from
affiliated partnership” or as “Investments in limited
partnerships” with respect to PK Ventures.
2.
IRS Determinations
The IRS determined that PKV&S should not have imputed
$67,772 of interest income from PKVI LP on its consolidated
income tax return for 1990 or $100,661 of interest income from
PKVI LP on its consolidated income tax return for 1991 because
- 68 the cash transfers that PK Ventures had made to PKVI LP were
contributions to capital instead of loans.
Accordingly, the IRS
decreased PKV&S’s interest income by $67,772 for 1990 and by
$100,661 for 1991.
The IRS also determined that PKV&S was not allowed to claim
a bad debt deduction of $1,516,246 on its consolidated income tax
return for 1991 for cash transfers that PK Ventures and/or its
subsidiaries had made to PKVI LP because these transfers were
contributions to capital instead of loans.
Alternatively, the
IRS determined that, if these transfers were not contributions to
capital, they were made for the benefit of the partners of
PKVI LP and, thus, were distributions to the partners.
As a
further alternative, the IRS determined that, if these transfers
were bona fide loans, the bad debt deduction should not be
allowed because PKV&S had not established that the debt had
become worthless during 1991.
Accordingly, the IRS increased
PKV&S’s taxable income by $1,516,246 for 1991.
The IRS determined that PKVI LP should not have imputed
$100,661 of interest expense to PK Ventures on its Form 1065 for
1991 because it had not been established that the interest
expense was attributable to a bona fide debt.
Rather, the IRS
determined that the funds that had been transferred from
PK Ventures and/or its subsidiaries to PKVI LP were capital
- 69 contributions.
Accordingly, the IRS increased PKVI LP’s ordinary
income by $100,661 for 1991.
The IRS determined that the cash transfers that had been
made by PK Ventures and/or its subsidiaries to PKVI LP were made
on behalf of the Roses and that the transfers constituted
constructive dividends to them.
After making certain
concessions, the IRS determined that the Roses should have
reported a constructive dividend of $411,338 on their joint
income tax return for 1990 and a constructive dividend of
$293,997 on their joint income tax return for 1991.
Accordingly,
the IRS increased the Roses’ taxable income by $411,338 for 1990
and by $293,997 for 1991.
The IRS notified the Roses that, with respect to 1991,
PKVI LP was subject to partnership-level proceedings pursuant to
the partnership audit and litigation procedures of sections 6221
through 6233.
Consequently, the IRS removed the amount that the
Roses had reported as their distributive share of PKVI LP’s
cancellation of indebtedness income from their income for that
year.
The IRS made these adjustments pursuant to Munro v.
Commissioner, 92 T.C. 71 (1989).
- 70 Other Circumstances Surrounding PK Ventures’ Operations and
Financial Arrangements
A.
Going Concern Notes in the Business’s Financial
Statements
1.
PK Ventures, SLPC, TBPC, and TPTC
Note 10 to PK Ventures’ audited financial statements for the
year ended December 31, 1989, set forth the going concern
position of the corporation.
Note 10 stated, in pertinent part,
the following with respect to the corporation’s financial status:
“Management’s plans include several steps which may mitigate the
current adverse financial condition.
* * * The Company’s
management extended payment terms related to certain accrued
payables such as officer’s salaries, indefinitely, subject to
cash availability.”
The notes to SLPC, TBPC, and TPTC’s audited
financial statements for the year ended December 31, 1989, also
include “going concern” notes that state that each corporation’s
management had “extended payment terms related to certain accrued
payables such as officer’s salary, indefinitely, subject to cash
availability.”
No corporate resolutions and/or other agreements
by PK Ventures, SLPC, TBPC, or TPTC set forth the terms of these
extended payment arrangements.
2.
PKVI LP
Note 8 to PKVI LP’s audited financial statements for the
year ended December 31, 1989, set forth the going concern
position of the partnership.
Note 8 stated the following with
- 71 respect to the partnership’s financial status:
“Management’s
plans include several steps which may mitigate the current
adverse financial condition.
These steps include renegotiation
and reduction of short term debt * * * and reduction of certain
operating costs.”
Note E to PKVI LP’s audited financial statements for the
year ended December 31, 1990, set forth the going concern
position of the partnership.
Note E stated, in pertinent part,
the following with respect to the partnership’s financial status:
The Partnership’s financial statements have been
presented on a going concern basis which contemplates
the realization of assets and the satisfaction of
liabilities in the normal course of business. At
December 31, 1990, partners’ capital is in a deficit
position of $667,182. Management plans to mitigate the
current adverse financial position by restoring one of
its plants to operating condition during 1991 and
completing construction projects on two hydroelectric
plants which are not yet operational to generate
revenues. In addition, P.K. Ventures, Inc., the
general and a limited partner, will continue to advance
cash to the Partnership as needed. * * *
Note 6 to PKVI LP’s reviewed financial statements for the
year ended December 31, 1992, set forth the going concern
position of the partnership.
Note 6 stated, in pertinent part,
the following with respect to the partnership’s financial status:
The Partnership’s financial statements have been
presented on a going-concern basis which contemplates
the realization of assets and the satisfaction of
liabilities in the normal course of business. Cash
flow deficits and capital needs were supplied and
funded in 1991 by P K Ventures, Inc. In 1992, cash
flow deficits and capital needs were funded by a loan
from the limited partner. Management is exploring the
- 72 possibility of renegotiating higher rates on the sales
of power and intends to maintain tight expense control
at all three of its operational plants. The
Partnership may be able to obtain additional funding
from the limited partner. Management is also exploring
a possible reorganization or merger. The outcome of
these matters cannot be predicted at this time.
Note 6 to PKVI LP’s reviewed financial statements for the
year ended December 31, 1993, set forth the going concern
position of the partnership.
Note 6 stated, in pertinent part,
the following with respect to the partnership’s financial status:
The Partnership’s financial statements have been
presented on a going-concern basis which contemplates
the realization of assets and the satisfaction of
liabilities in the normal course of business. Cash
flow deficits and capital needs were funded in 1993 and
1992 by loans from the limited partner. Management is
also exploring a possible reorganization or merger.
The outcome of these matters cannot be predicted at
this time.
B.
Litigation Involving SLPC, TBPC, and TPTC
A majority of PK Ventures’ income was generated by the
operations of its pipeline subsidiaries (i.e., SLPC, TBPC, TPC,
and TPTC).
PK Ventures’ largest investments were in TBPC and
TPTC.
As of December 31, 1991, SLPC, TBPC, and TPTC were all
litigating separate matters.
The matters being litigated
affected the corporations’ revenue streams.
In particular, TBPC
did not receive any of the $483,000 of lease payments that it was
owed by Royster between April 1991 and June 1992.
In addition,
- 73 SLPC’s pipeline was taken out of service sometime prior to
January 1, 1992, for environmental reasons.
There were no direct references made to this litigation in
PKV&S’s audited consolidated financial statements for the year
ended December 31, 1991.
Note 5 of these financial statements,
however, stated, in pertinent part, that:
“The Company has not
repaid $1,300,000 of subordinated notes payable to the former
shareholders of its subsidiaries pending the resolution of
various claims against the former shareholders.”
C.
Transfers From Rose to PK Ventures
As of the beginning of October 1992, PK Ventures owed
$1.3 million to the TPTC sellers.
paid by January 1, 1992.
This amount was to have been
This debt was settled in October 1992
when PK Ventures agreed to pay the TPTC sellers $590,000.
Rose
transferred the $590,000 to PK Ventures in October 1992 so that
it could pay the TPTC sellers.
PK Ventures was relieved of the
remaining balance of this $1.3 million debt.
In sum, Rose made cash transfers to PK Ventures totaling
$990,000 during 1992.
Of this $990,000, Rose transferred
$940,000 during the last quarter of 1992.
PK Ventures executed
documents that were identical to the PKVI LP promissory notes
described above in favor of Rose with respect to these transfers.
These documents were signed by Rose alone; they were neither
attested to by a witness nor notarized.
- 74 During 1993, Rose made cash transfers to PK Ventures and its
subsidiaries totaling $2,863,500.
Note 3 to PKV&S’s audited
consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31,
1993, stated the following with respect to these transfers:
Notes payable to shareholder represent cash advances
contributed to the Company by the major shareholder for
operations. The notes bear interest at 12% and are due
on demand. The shareholder advanced $2,863,500 and
$990,000 to the Company during 1993 and 1992,
respectively.
Interest expense on notes payable to shareholder was
$292,350 and $19,313 during 1993 and 1992,
respectively.
Rose’s Wages for 1986 Through 1993
The following table breaks down the percentage of time that
Rose devoted to his duties for Printon Kane and/or the Printon
Kane Group, PK Ventures and its subsidiaries, PKVI LP, and Zephyr
during 1986 through 1993:
Printon Kane/
PK Ventures and
Year Printon Kane Group
Subsidiaries PKVI LP Zephyr
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
40%
20
15
15
––––-
50%
40
40
50
78
85
85
85
10%
10
15
15
15
15
15
15
–30%
30
20
7
–––-
During these years, Rose routinely worked long hours and rarely
took vacations.
PK Ventures reported the following amounts from its
operations on its income tax return for 1986, and PKV&S reported
- 75 the following amounts from its operations on its consolidated
income tax returns for 1987 through 1993:
Year
Gross Receipts
or Sales
Gross Profit
Total Income
(Loss)
Net Income
(Loss)
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
-$3,054,478
4,026,675
4,457,954
5,300,792
5,002,606
4,777,238
4,638,025
-$3,054,478
2,805,981
3,368,325
4,620,576
4,490,177
4,193,245
3,884,120
($1,307)
3,569,218
3,217,948
3,700,349
4,815,805
5,783,636
4,775,526
4,591,313
($9,318)
(228,055)
579,061
(43,069)
650,781
1,037,967
802,979
230,435
PKVI LP reported the following amounts from its operations
on its Forms 1065 for 1986 through 1993:
Year
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
Gross Receipts
or Sales
Gross Profit
$11,093
158,501
151,381
227,616
144,153
61,071
100,250
101,703
Total Income
(Loss)
Ordinary
Income (Loss)
From Business
Activities
$12,488
61,358
28,755
35,120
(260,619)
(181,635)
100,250
101,703
($132,332)
(203,653)
(346,069)
(495,274)
(603,756)
(604,235)
(839,738)
(627,306)
$11,093
61,358
28,755
35,120
(260,619)
(183,635)
100,250
101,703
Zephyr reported the following amounts from its operations on
its Forms 1120S for 1987 through 1989:
Year
1987
1988
1989
Gross Receipts
or Sales
Gross Profit
$1,623,593
2,022,492
516,969
($211,807)
(569,839)
(1,117,281)
Total Income
(Loss)
Ordinary
Income (Loss)
From Business
Activities
($85,237)
(563,666)
(1,117,281)
($964,830)
(1,993,131)
(1,628,388)
- 76 In addition to the wages discussed below, PK Ventures
provided health insurance to Rose and his family during the years
in issue.
Sometime in 1991, PK Ventures purchased a Honda Civic
and provided that car to Rose.
PK Ventures replaced the Honda
Civic with a Mercedes Benz in 1993 and provided the Mercedes Benz
to Rose throughout that year and the remaining years in issue.
Rose determined that PK Ventures would not provide him with any
retirement benefits.
A.
Wages Received From Printon Kane and the Printon Kane
Group
Rose’s salaries from Printon Kane during 1986, 1987, and
1988 were $65,000, $67,500, and $65,000, respectively.
In 1989,
Rose received salaries from Printon Kane and the Printon Kane
Group totaling $34,423 and $12,115, respectively.
In 1990, Rose
received a salary from the Printon Kane Group totaling $6,923.
Rose did not receive any compensation from either Printon Kane or
the Printon Kane Group after 1990.
B.
Wages Recorded on PK Ventures’ Books and Records
PK Ventures’ general ledger for 1990 indicated that, during
1990, PK Ventures paid Rose compensation totaling $350,000.
PK Ventures’ general ledger for 1990 also indicated that, of this
$350,000, PK Ventures had accrued $65,000 prior to 1990 and that
SLPC, TBPC, and TPTC had accrued the balance prior to and during
1990 in the following proportions:
- 77 -
Year
Total
Compensation
Accrued
1987
1988
1989
1990
Total
$75,000
75,000
75,000
60,000
285,000
Portion Attributable To:
SLPC
TBPC
TPTC
$15,000
15,000
15,000
–45,000
$30,000
30,000
30,000
30,000
120,000
$30,000
30,000
30,000
30,000
120,000
As of December 31, 1991, PK Ventures’ books indicated that,
during 1991, PK Ventures had accrued $90,000 of “Salary” and an
additional $37,469 of “Compensation & Benefits” with respect to
Rose, that TBPC had accrued $30,000 of “Compensation & Benefits”
with respect to Rose, and that TPTC had accrued $30,000 of “Mgt
Salaries” with respect to Rose.
During March 1992, Rose made journal entries to PK Ventures’
general ledger to reflect “deferred compensation” payable to him
for 1986 through 1991 in the following amounts:
Year
Amount
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
$500,000
600,000
720,000
840,000
900,000
900,000
According to this “Deferred Compensation” account, PK Ventures
owed Rose $4,460,000 as of March 30, 1992.
Prior to Rose’s
making these journal entries, there had never been a written
agreement between Rose and PK Ventures as to deferred
compensation, and Rose had never discussed deferred compensation
- 78 with anyone who had an equity interest or financial interest in
PK Ventures.
PK Ventures’ general ledger for 1992 indicated that, during
1992, PK Ventures paid Rose $500,000 for 1986 and $246,948 for
1987.
As of December 31, 1992, the “Deferred Compensation”
account included in PK Ventures’ general ledger showed a current
balance of $3,713,052.
At the advice of the auditors of PKV&S’s
consolidated financial statements, this balance was “reversed”
off of PK Ventures’ general ledger.
Consequently, there was no
liability for deferred compensation reported on PKV&S’s audited
consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31,
1992, or on PKV&S’s audited consolidated financial statements for
the year ended December 31, 1993.
Moreover, there was no
liability for deferred compensation reported on the Schedules L
attached to PKV&S’s consolidated income tax returns for 1992 and
1993.
PK Ventures’ general ledger for 1992 also indicated that,
during 1992, PK Ventures paid Rose $900,000 for his services to
it and its subsidiaries.
Of this $900,000, $32,500 was
attributable to “MGT SAL TPTC” and $32,500 was attributable to
“MGT SAL TBPC”.
PK Ventures’ general ledger for 1993 indicated that, during
1993, PK Ventures paid Rose compensation totaling $2,031,993.
The general ledger did not clearly indicate what portion of this
- 79 $2,031,993 was attributable to current compensation and what part
(if any) was attributable to deferred compensation.
Rose, as sole director of PK Ventures, determined the
amounts of compensation that PK Ventures paid to him during the
years in issue.
With respect to the $4,460,000 of “deferred
compensation” that was recorded in PK Ventures’ general ledger
for 1992, Rose first determined this amount sometime between the
beginning of 1992 and March 30, 1992.
Included in the
determination of the $4,460,000 was the amount of compensation
that Rose believed that he should have received from Zephyr
during a 16-month period in 1987 and 1988.
There had never been
an amount accrued as a salary for Rose on Zephyr’s books and
records, and PK Ventures had never been a shareholder of Zephyr.
Furthermore, the total compensation that Rose determined that
PK Ventures should pay him for 1992 and 1993 related to his
providing services over an “8.3-year” period that included a
portion of 1985 and the entirety of 1986 through 1993.
C.
Wages Reported on Income Tax Returns
PK Ventures deducted the following amounts as compensation
paid to officers and salaries and wages paid on its income tax
return for 1986, and PKV&S deducted the following amounts as
compensation paid to officers and salaries and wages paid on its
consolidated income tax returns for 1987 through 1993:
- 80 Year
Compensation Paid
to Officers
Salaries and
Wages Paid
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
--–
-–
$170,000
80,068
103,000
1,646,948
2,031,993
-$173,844
192,211
-–
276,190
396,247
306,718
352,974
All of the amounts that PKV&S reported as compensation paid to
officers on these returns were attributable to Rose.
On the Roses’ joint income tax returns for 1990 through
1995, Rose reported that he received the following amounts of
compensation:
Year
Wages
and
Salaries
Gross Income
Reported on
Schedule C
Miscellaneous
Income from
Form 1099
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
$6,923
–––606,250
250,000
$17,000
––-–
-–
-–
-–
$103,000
1,646,948
2,031,993
-–
-–
Rose did not report any compensation from PK Ventures or its
subsidiaries in 1987 or 1988.
On its consolidated income tax return for 1990, PKV&S
claimed a $50,068 deduction for officer compensation paid to Rose
and a $30,000 deduction for a “salary transfer to Tampa Bay
Pipeline Co.” from PK Ventures.
PKV&S reported that $17,000 of
the $50,068 was paid by TPTC and that the balance was paid by
PK Ventures.
Neither the $30,000 attributable to TBPC nor the
- 81 $50,068 attributable to PK Ventures and TPTC appears on the
Roses’ joint income tax return for 1990 as wages received.
Rose
did, however, report $33,068 of imputed interest from PK Ventures
on that return as well as $17,000 of gross income from his
involvement in an “investment company” on a Schedule C, Profit or
Loss From Business, that was attached to the return.
On its consolidated income tax return for 1991, PKV&S
claimed a $103,000 deduction for officer compensation paid to
Rose.
PKV&S reported that $30,000 of this amount was paid by
TBPC, that $30,000 was paid by TPTC, and that the balance was
paid by PK Ventures.
In addition, PKV&S claimed a $37,469
deduction for other salaries and wages paid to Rose.
This latter
deduction was attributable to the “reclassification” of an
account showing that Rose owed PK Ventures $437,469 as of
December 31, 1991.
As discussed above, this “reclassification”
resulted in PKV&S’s claiming a $400,000 bad debt deduction as
well as the $37,469 deduction for other salaries and wages paid
to Rose.
The Roses reported the $103,000 of officer compensation
on their joint income tax return for 1991, but they failed to
report the $37,469 of other salaries and wages.
On its consolidated income tax return for 1992, PKV&S
claimed a $1,646,948 deduction for officer compensation paid to
Rose.
PKV&S reported that $32,500 of this amount was paid by
TBPC, that $32,500 was paid by TPTC, and that the balance was
- 82 paid by PK Ventures.
The Roses reported the $1,646,948 of
officer compensation on their joint income tax return for 1992.
On its consolidated income tax return for 1993, PKV&S
claimed a $2,031,993 deduction for officer compensation paid to
Rose.
PKV&S reported that $32,500 of this amount was paid by
TBPC, that $32,500 was paid by TPTC, and that the balance was
paid by PK Ventures.
The Roses reported the $2,031,993 of
officer compensation on their joint income tax return for 1993.
In addition to this amount, the Roses reported interest from
PK Ventures of $292,350.
Rose received the amounts of wages and salaries that he
reported on the Roses’ joint income tax returns for 1994 and 1995
from TPC.
TPC issued Forms W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, to Rose
with respect to these amounts.
D.
IRS Determinations
With respect to 1990, the IRS determined that Rose should
have reported a total of $350,000 of compensation from
PK Ventures and its subsidiaries.
The IRS determined that this
amount included $285,000 of compensation that had been accrued by
SLPC, TBPC, and TPTC during 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1990 and paid
to Rose in 1990 and included $65,000 of compensation that had
been accrued by PK Ventures prior to 1990 and paid to Rose in
1990.
After taking into account the $17,000 of gross income that
Rose had reported on a Schedule C that was attached to the Roses’
- 83 joint income tax return for 1990 and shifting $13,000 of the
compensation that Rose reported in 1991 to 1990, the IRS
increased the Roses’ taxable income for 1990 by $320,000.
With respect to 1991, the IRS determined that Rose should
have reported an additional $97,469 of compensation from
PK Ventures and its subsidiaries.
The IRS determined that this
amount included $60,000 of compensation that had been accrued by
TBPC and TPTC during 1991 and included $37,469 of compensation
that had been accrued by PK Ventures during that year.
Accordingly, the IRS increased the Roses’ taxable income for 1991
by $97,469.
The Roses conceded these adjustments for 1990 and 1991.
Taking into account these concessions, Rose received the
following amounts of compensation for his services to PK Ventures
and its subsidiaries during 1986 through 1991:
- 84 Entity
1986-89
PK Ventures $170,000
SLPC
-TBPC
–TPTC
-Total 170,000
1990
1991
$98,068
45,000
120,000
120,000
383,068
$67,469
-60,000
60,000
187,469
In sum, Rose received $740,537 for his services to PK Ventures
and its subsidiaries during these years.
With respect to 1992, the IRS determined that the deduction
that PKV&S claimed for compensation paid to Rose should be
reduced by $1,208,893.
The IRS determined this reduction by
subtracting (1) reasonable salary for 1992 totaling $143,317 and
(2) deferred compensation totaling $294,738 from the $1,646,948
that PKV&S deducted in that year.
The IRS determined the
reasonable salary for 1992 by multiplying PKV&S’s gross receipts
for that year by 3 percent.
The IRS determined deferred
compensation as follows:
Year
Salary
Deducted on
Return
Reasonable
Salary
Difference
Deferred
Compensation
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
Total
-–
-–
$170,000
50,068
140,469
360,537
$91,634
120,800
133,739
159,024
150,078
655,275
($91,634)
(120,800)
36,261
(108,956)
(9,609)
(294,738)
$91,634
120,800
(36,261)
108,956
9,609
294,738
As it did in 1992, the IRS determined reasonable salary for 1987
through 1991 by multiplying PKV&S’s gross receipts for each of
those years by 3 percent.
Accordingly, the IRS increased PKV&S’s
taxable income by $1,208,893 for 1992.
- 85 With respect to 1993, the IRS determined that the deduction
that PKV&S claimed for compensation paid to Rose should be
reduced by $1,892,852.
The IRS determined this reduction by
subtracting reasonable salary for 1993 totaling $139,141 from the
officer compensation that PKV&S deducted in that year.
As it did
in 1992, the IRS determined reasonable salary for 1993 by
multiplying PKV&S’s gross receipts for that year by 3 percent.
Accordingly, the IRS increased PKV&S’s taxable income by
$1,892,852 for 1993.
PK Ventures’ Share of PKVI LP’s Items of Income and Loss
A.
As Reported on PK Ventures’ Schedules K-1
The following items were listed on PK Ventures’
Schedules K-1 that were attached to PKVI LP’s Forms 1065 for 1986
through 1993:
- 86 Amount
General Limited
Interest Interest
Year
Item
1986
Capital contributed during year
Net long-term capital gain
Withdrawals and distributions
Ordinary loss from business activities
Net short-term capital loss
$500
29
-(1,323)
(13)
--–
-–
-–
-–
1987
Capital contributed during year
Interest income
Withdrawals and distributions
Ordinary loss from business activities
-69
-(2,036)
--–
-–
-–
1988
Capital contributed during year
3,540
Withdrawals and distributions
-–
Ordinary loss from business activities (18,515)
---–
1989
Capital contributed during year
-Withdrawals and distributions
-–
Ordinary loss from business activities (26,497)
---–
1990
Capital contributed during year
-($95,640)
Net gain under section 1231
708
2,105
Withdrawals and distributions
-–
-Ordinary loss from business activities (32,301) (96,097)
1991
Capital contributed during year
--Cancellation of indebtedness income
81,119
373,755
Withdrawals and distributions
-–
-Ordinary loss from business activities (32,327) (148,944)
1992
Capital contributed during year
--Withdrawals and distributions
-–
-Ordinary loss from business activities (44,925) (206,996)
1993
Capital contributed during year
--Withdrawals and distributions
-–
-Ordinary loss from business activities (33,561) (154,631)
Net loss under section 1231
(4,405) (20,296)
B.
As Reported on the Income Tax Returns for PK Ventures
and PKV&S
PK Ventures reported the following amount with respect to
its interest in PKVI LP on its income tax return for 1986, and
- 87 PKV&S reported the following amounts with respect to PK Ventures’
and/or its subsidiaries’ interests in PKVI LP on its consolidated
income tax returns for 1987 through 1993:
Year
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
C.
Income (Loss)
Cancellation of
from PKVI LP Bad Debts Indebtedness Income
($1,323)
(2,036)
(18,515)
(26,497)
(124,687)
(181,271)
(251,921)
(212,893)
-–
-–
-–
-–
-$1,516,246
-–
-–
-–
--–
—-$454,874
---
IRS Determinations
The IRS determined that PKV&S could deduct PK Ventures’
distributive share of PKVI LP’s losses for 1990, 1991, 1992, and
1993 to the extent of PK Ventures’ basis in its PKVI LP interest.
Before taking into account any of PKVI LP’s losses, the IRS
determined that PK Ventures’ basis in its PKVI LP interest was
$114,936 as of December 31, 1990.
The IRS determined this amount
by subtracting the amount of PKVI LP’s losses that PKV&S deducted
in 1986, 1987, 1988, and 1989 from the cash advances that it
determined that PK Ventures had made to PKVI LP in 1990 and prior
years and the capital contribution that it determined that
PK Ventures had made to PKVI LP in 1988.
The IRS allowed as a
deduction against this basis $114,936 of PK Ventures’
distributive share of PKVI LP’s losses for 1990.
Accordingly,
the IRS increased PKV&S’s taxable income by $9,751 for 1990.
- 88 Before taking into account any of PKVI LP’s losses, the IRS
determined that PK Ventures’ basis in its PKVI LP interest was
zero as of December 31, 1991.
With respect to 1991, the IRS
notified PKV&S that PKVI LP was subject to partnership-level
proceedings pursuant to the partnership audit and litigation
procedures of sections 6221 through 6233.
Consequently, the IRS
removed the amounts that PKV&S had reported as PK Ventures’
distributive shares of PKVI LP’s loss and cancellation of
indebtedness income from PKV&S’s taxable income for that year.
The IRS made these adjustments pursuant to Munro v. Commissioner,
92 T.C. 71 (1989).
PKV&S’s taxable income for 1991 was not
affected as a result of these adjustments.
Before taking into account any of PKVI LP’s losses, the IRS
determined that PK Ventures’ basis in its PKVI LP interest was
zero as of December 31, 1992, and zero as of December 31, 1993.
Consequently, the IRS did not allow PKV&S to deduct any of
PKVI LP’s losses during those years.
The IRS increased PKV&S’s
taxable income by $251,921 for 1992 and by $212,893 for 1993.
The Roses’ Share of PKVI LP’s Items of Income and Loss
A.
As Reported on Rose’s Schedules K-1
The following items were listed on Rose’s Schedules K-1 that
were attached to PKVI LP’s Forms 1065 for 1986 through 1993:
- 89 Year
Item
Amount
1986 Capital contributed during year
Net long-term capital gain
Withdrawals and distributions
Ordinary loss from business activities
Net short-term capital loss
-$865
-(39,700)
(388)
1987 Capital contributed during year
Interest income
Withdrawals and distributions
Ordinary loss from business activities
-2,077
-(61,096)
1988 Capital contributed during year
Withdrawals and distributions
Ordinary loss from business activities
--(103,820)
1989 Capital contributed during year
Withdrawals and distributions
Ordinary loss from business activities
(94,525)
-(346,692)
1990 Capital contributed during year
Net gain under section 1231
Withdrawals and distributions
Ordinary loss from business activities
-9,256
-(422,629)
1991 Capital contributed during year
-Cancellation of indebtedness income
1,061,372
Withdrawals and distributions
-Ordinary loss from business activities (422,964)
1992 Capital contributed during year
Withdrawals and distributions
Ordinary loss from business activities
--(587,817)
1993 Capital contributed during year
Withdrawals and distributions
Ordinary loss from business activities
Net loss under section 1231
--(439,114)
(57,635)
B.
As Reported on the Roses’ Income Tax Returns
On their joint income tax returns for 1990 through 1995, the
Roses reported the following amounts of income and loss with
respect to their interest in PKVI LP:
- 90 Year
Income (Loss)
Cancellation of
from PKVI LP Indebtedness Income
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
–($654,236)
(1,008,745)
(689,766)
(373,590)
(679,795)
–$1,061,372
-–
---–
The Roses attached the following statement, in pertinent
part, to their joint income tax return for 1990:
The above mentioned taxpayers have elected to
carryforward the net operating lossess [sic] of the
following companies for the tax period ending 12/31/90:
*
2.
*
*
*
*
*
*
PK Ventures I Limited Partnership, (1990) the
aggregate amount of $422,629, which appears on the
taxpayer’s Schedule K-1 (Form 1065) line 1, * * *
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
In addition, unused outstanding amounts have been
carried forward: * * * PK Ventures I Limited
Partnership (1988) of $103,820 * * * and
PK Ventures I Limited Partnership (1989) of $318,768.
This statement was signed by the Roses and dated October 12,
1991.
In sum, the Roses carried forward losses from PKVI LP
totaling $845,217.
The Roses attached the following statement, in pertinent
part, to their joint income tax return for 1991:
The above mentioned taxpayers have elected to
carryforward the net operating lossess [sic] of the
following companies for the tax period ending 12/31/91:
1.
The amount of $318,768 of unapplied net operating
loss from PK Ventures I LP (1989) * * * was
carried forward to 1991. Of this amount, $127,452
- 91 was applied in 1991 (Schedule E2, line 31H) and
the balance of $191,316 carried forward.
2.
The amount of $422,629 unapplied net operating
loss from PK Ventures LP (1990) * * * has been
carried forward.
This statement was signed by the Roses and dated October 14,
1992.
In sum, the Roses carried forward losses from PKVI LP
totaling $613,945.
The Roses attached the following statement to their joint
income tax return for 1992:
The above mentioned taxpayers have elected to apply
* * * the net operating losses of the following company
for the tax period ending 12/31/92:
1.
The amount of $394,800 of net operating losses
from PK Ventures I Limited Partnership (1992) * * *
have been applied. The taxpayer has elected to
carryforward the balance of $193,017 of unapplied net
operating losses.
2.
The amount of $191,316 of net operating losses
from PK Ventures I Limited Partnership (1989) * * *
have been applied.
3.
The amount of $422,629 of net operating losses
from PK Ventures I Limited Partnership (1990) * * *
have been applied.
In sum, the Roses carried forward losses from PKVI LP totaling
$193,017.
The Roses attached the following statement, in pertinent
part, to their joint income tax return for 1993:
“The above
mentioned taxpayers have elected to apply * * * the net operating
loss carryforward for the tax period ending 12/31/93 for the
- 92 amount of $193,017 from PK Ventures I Limited Partnership
(1992)”.
C.
IRS Determinations
The IRS determined that the Roses could deduct their
distributive share of PKVI LP’s losses for 1990, 1991, 1992,
1993, 1994, and 1995 to the extent of the basis in their PKVI LP
interest.
Before taking into account any of PKVI LP’s losses,
the IRS determined that the Roses’ basis in their PKVI LP
interest was $667,056 as of December 31, 1990.
The IRS
determined this amount by subtracting the amount of PKVI LP’s
losses that the Roses deducted in 1988 and 1989 from the amount
of constructive dividends that it determined that the Roses
recognized as a result of the transfers from PK Ventures, TBPC,
and TPTC to PKVI LP prior to 1991.
The IRS included a note
stating that this basis computation “will need to be adjusted if
the level of constructive dividends shown in Adjustment H are
[sic] changed.”
The IRS allowed as a deduction against this
basis (1) a $103,820 loss carryover from PKVI LP’s 1988
partnership year; (2) a $318,788 loss carryover from PKVI LP’s
1989 partnership year; and (3) $244,468 of the Roses’
distributive share of PKVI LP’s losses for 1990.
Accordingly,
the IRS decreased the Roses’ taxable income by $667,056 for 1990.
Before taking into account any of PKVI LP’s losses, the IRS
determined that the Roses’ basis in their PKVI LP interest was
- 93 $293,997 as of December 31, 1991.
The IRS determined that the
Roses recognized this amount of constructive dividends as a
result of the transfers from PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC to
PKVI LP during 1991.
The IRS included a note stating that this
basis computation “will need to be adjusted if the level of
constructive dividends shown in Adjustment H are [sic] changed.”
As discussed above, the IRS notified the Roses that PKVI LP was
subject to partnership-level proceedings pursuant to the
partnership audit and litigation procedures of sections 6221
through 6233 with respect to 1991.
Consequently, the IRS removed
the amounts that had been reported as the Roses’ distributive
share of PKVI LP’s losses and cancellation of indebtedness income
from the Roses’ taxable income for 1991.
After making these
adjustments, the IRS determined that the Roses could deduct the
balance of their distributive share of PKVI LP’s losses for 1990,
$178,161.
Because the balance of the Roses’ distributive share
of PKVI LP’s losses for 1990 was $53,111 less than the amount of
PKVI LP’s losses that the Roses claimed on their joint income tax
return for 1991 (after removal of the Roses’ distributive share
of PKVI LP’s losses for 1991 from that amount), the IRS increased
the Roses’ taxable income by $53,111 for 1991.
Before taking into account any of PKVI LP’s losses, the IRS
determined that the Roses’ basis in their PKVI LP interest was
$335,448 as of December 31, 1992.
The IRS determined that this
- 94 amount had been advanced to PKVI LP on behalf of the Roses during
1992.
The IRS allowed as a deduction against this basis $98,782
of the Roses’ distributive share of PKVI LP’s losses for 1992.
Accordingly, the IRS increased the Roses’ taxable income by
$909,963 for 1992.
Before taking into account any of PKVI LP’s losses, the IRS
determined that the Roses’ basis in their PKVI LP interest was
$242,073 as of December 31, 1993.
The IRS determined that this
amount had been advanced to PKVI LP on behalf of the Roses during
1993.
The IRS allowed as a deduction against this basis $242,073
of the Roses’ balance of their distributive share of PKVI LP’s
losses for 1992.
Accordingly, the IRS increased the Roses’
taxable income by $447,693 for 1993.
Before taking into account any of PKVI LP’s losses, the IRS
determined that the Roses’ basis in their PKVI LP interest was
zero as of December 31, 1994, and zero as of December 31, 1995.
Consequently, the IRS did not allow the Roses to deduct any of
PKVI LP’s losses during those years.
The IRS increased the
Roses’ taxable income by $373,590 for 1994 and $679,795 for 1995.
The Roses’ Share of Zephyr’s Items of Income and Loss
A.
As Reported on Rose’s Schedules K-1
The following items were listed as Rose’s pro rata share of
Zephyr’s items of income, loss, and deduction on Rose’s
Schedules K-1, Shareholder’s Share of Income, Credits,
- 95 Deductions, etc., that were attached to Zephyr’s Forms 1120S for
1987 through 1989:
Year
Item
Amount
1987 Ordinary loss from business activities ($179,025)
Interest income
511
Net long-term capital gain
4,323
1988 Ordinary loss from business activities (797,252)
Interest income
838
1989 Ordinary loss from business activities (651,355)
Interest income
75
B.
As Reported on the Roses’ Income Tax Returns
On their joint income tax returns for 1990 through 1992, the
Roses reported losses of $11,941, $868,812, and $651,355,
respectively, with respect to their interest in Zephyr.
The Roses attached the following statement, in pertinent
part, to their joint income tax return for 1990:
The above mentioned taxpayers have elected to
carryforward the net operating lossess [sic] of the
following companies for the tax period ending 12/31/90:
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
The amount of $83,501.00 of unapplied net operating
loss from Zephyr Rock & Lime Inc., (1987) * * * was
carried forward to 1990. Of this amount, $11,941 was
applied in 1990 (Schedule E, line 31a) and the balance
of $71,560 carried forward.
In addition, unused outstanding amounts have been
carried forward: Zephyr Rock & Lime Inc., (1988)
$797,252, * * * Zephyr Rock & Lime Inc (1989) of
$651,355 * * *
- 96 This statement was signed by the Roses and dated October 12,
1991.
In sum, the Roses carried forward losses from Zephyr
totaling $1,520,167.
The Roses attached the following statement, in pertinent
part, to their joint income tax return for 1991:
The above mentioned taxpayers have elected to
carryforward the net operating lossess [sic] of the
following companies for the tax period ending 12/31/91:
*
4.
*
*
*
*
*
*
The amount of $651,355 unapplied net operating
loss from Zephyr Rock & Lime, Inc. (1989) * * *
has been carried forward.
This statement was signed by the Roses and dated October 14,
1992.
The Roses attached the following statement, in pertinent
part, to their joint income tax return for 1992:
The above mentioned taxpayers have elected to apply
* * * the net operating losses of the following company
for the tax period ending 12/31/92:
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
5.
The amount of $651,355 of net operating losses
from Zephyr Rock & Lime Inc. (1989) * * * have been
applied.
C.
IRS Determinations
The IRS determined that the Roses could deduct the losses
that they reported from Zephyr on their joint income tax returns
for 1990, 1991, and 1992 to the extent of the basis in their
Zephyr interest.
The IRS determined that, as of January 1, 1990,
- 97 the Roses’ basis in their Zephyr interest was $810,431, which
included the following amounts:
Source
Amount
Original investment
Note given to Mills
Constructive dividends
Loss deducted in 1988
Loss deducted in 1989
$400,000
480,000
25,955
(56,825)
(38,699)
Furthermore, the IRS determined that, as of January 1, 1990, the
Roses had not deducted $1,532,106 of their share of the losses
that Zephyr had incurred during 1987, 1988, and 1989.
After
taking into consideration the $11,941 loss that the Roses claimed
on their joint income tax return for 1990 with respect to their
interest in Zephyr, the IRS determined that the Roses could
deduct an additional $798,490 of Zephyr’s losses in that year.
The IRS determined that the Roses were not entitled to deduct any
additional amount of Zephyr’s losses on their joint income tax
returns for 1991 and 1992.
Accordingly, the IRS decreased the
Roses’ taxable income by $798,490 for 1990 and increased the
Roses’ taxable income by $868,812 for 1991 and $651,355 for 1992.
Transactions Involving SLPC, TPC, and the Roses During 1994 and
1995
Effective January 1, 1994, PK Ventures and its subsidiaries
reorganized their corporate structure, which resulted in two
surviving corporations--SLPC and TPC.
As of that date,
PK Ventures, TPTC, and TBPC were merged into TPC through
transfers of stock.
Both SLPC and TPC elected to be treated as
- 98 S corporations during 1994 and 1995.
Rose during 1994 and 1995.
SLPC was wholly owned by
Rose also held an ownership interest
in TPC during 1994 and 1995.
SLPC realized gross receipts or sales of zero in 1991, 1992,
and 1993 and had a combined total income of $21,720 for those
years.
SLPC became insolvent during 1993.
During 1994, SLPC
incurred large losses because its pipeline was shut down for
major repairs.
On December 31, 1994, Rose paid $350,000 of the amount that
SLPC owed to TPC by reducing the amount that TPC owed to him.
This transaction was recorded on TPC’s books by journal entries
that reduced the amount that it owed to Rose by $350,000 as well
as the amount that SLPC owed to it by $350,000.
The transaction
was reflected on the books of SLPC by journal entries that
reflected a $350,000 reduction in the amount that it owed to TPC
and a $350,000 increase in the amount that it owed to Rose.
The Roses deducted losses from SLPC totaling $455,151 on
their joint income tax return for 1994.
Rose paid an additional $800,000 of SLPC’s debt to TPC
during 1995 by reducing the amount that TPC owed to him.
This
transaction was recorded on TPC’s books by journal entries that
reduced the amount that it owed to Rose by $800,000 as well as
the amount that SLPC owed to it by $800,000.
The transaction was
reflected on the books of SLPC by journal entries that reflected
- 99 an $800,000 reduction in the amount that it owed to TPC and an
$800,000 increase in the amount that it owed to Rose.
The Roses deducted losses from SLPC totaling $322,973 on
their joint income tax return for 1995.
As of February 5, 2004, the outstanding principal balance of
the transactions between SLPC and the Roses was no less than the
outstanding principal balance of those transactions as of 1995.
Furthermore, between 1995 and February 5, 2004, the outstanding
principal balance of the transactions between SLPC and the Roses
remained substantially unchanged.
A.
As Described in SLPC and the Roses’ Income Tax Returns
On the Schedule L attached to SLPC’s Form 1120S for
1994, SLPC’s “Other current liabilities” were reported to be
$1,732,262 as of the beginning of that year and $2,727,575 as of
the end of that year.
Of these amounts, SLPC reported that
$1,730,997 and $2,711,734, respectively, were “DUE TO AFFILIATE”.
Also on this Schedule L, SLPC’s “Loans from shareholders” were
reported to equal $350,000 as of the end of 1994.
There were no
amounts separately identified as interest payments made and/or
imputed by SLPC to the Roses on its Form 1120S for 1994.
There were no amounts separately identified as interest
payments received and/or imputed by the Roses from SLPC on their
joint income tax return for 1994.
- 100 On the Schedule L attached to SLPC’s Form 1120S for 1995,
SLPC’s “Other current liabilities” were reported to be $2,208,733
as of the end of that year.
Of that amount, SLPC reported that
$2,171,155 was “DUE TO AFFILIATE”.
Also on this Schedule L,
SLPC’s “Loans from shareholders” were reported to equal
$1,219,000 as of the end of 1995.
There were no amounts
separately identified as interest payments made and/or imputed by
SLPC to the Roses on its Form 1120S for 1995.
There were no amounts separately identified as interest
payments received and/or imputed by the Roses from SLPC on their
joint income tax return for 1995.
B.
IRS Determinations
The IRS determined that the Roses could deduct the losses
that they reported from SLPC on their joint income tax returns
for 1994 and 1995 to the extent of the basis in their SLPC
interest.
In calculating the Roses’ basis in their SLPC interest
for those years, the IRS determined that the $350,000 transaction
between TPC and SLPC in 1994 and the $800,000 transaction between
TPC and SLPC in 1995 did not constitute debt owed to the Roses
and did not increase the Roses’ basis in their SLPC interest.
The IRS determined that “there was not an actual economic outlay”
by the Roses and that “the debt was not directly attributable to”
the Roses.
- 101 The IRS determined that the Roses had a $200,000 basis in
their SLPC interest as of the end of 1994 and had no basis in
their SLPC interest as of the end of 1995.
Consequently, the IRS
determined that the Roses could deduct $200,000 of SLPC’s losses
in 1994 and none of SLPC’s losses in 1995.
The IRS increased the
Roses’ taxable income by $255,151 for 1994 and by $322,973 for
1995.
Imposition of Accuracy-Related Penalties by the IRS
The Roses signed their joint income tax returns for 1990,
1991, 1992, and 1993 on October 12, 1991, October 14, 1992,
October 15, 1993, and October 14, 1994, respectively.
There was
no paid preparer’s information listed on any of these returns.
There were no Forms 8275, Disclosure Statement, attached to these
returns.
The IRS determined accuracy-related penalties under section
6662(a) with respect to the Roses for 1990, 1991, 1992, and 1993.
The accuracy-related penalties were determined to be due to
substantial understatements of income tax by the Roses for those
years.
The IRS determined that all or part of the underpayments
of tax for those years was attributable to non-tax-shelter items
(1) for which there was no substantial authority or (2) that were
not adequately disclosed in the returns or in statements attached
to the returns.
Furthermore, the IRS determined that it had not
- 102 been established that these underpayments were due to reasonable
cause.
OPINION
Procedural Matters
PKV&S and the Roses filed their respective petitions with
the Court on March 25 and June 1, 1999.
Rose, as the designated
tax matters partner for PKVI LP, filed a Petition for
Readjustment of Partnership Items Under Code Section 6226 with
the Court on April 25, 1999.
By notices served on October 7, 1999, August 3, 2000, and
May 10, 2001, these cases were set for trial 5 months after the
dates of the respective notices.
Attached to each of the Notices
Setting Case for Trial was the Court’s Standing Pretrial Order.
The Standing Pretrial Order provided, in pertinent part, as
follows:
To facilitate an orderly and efficient disposition
of all cases on the trial calendar, it is hereby
ORDERED that all facts shall be stipulated to the
maximum extent possible. All documentary and written
evidence shall be marked and stipulated in accordance
with Rule 91(b), unless the evidence is to be used
solely to impeach the credibility of a witness. * * *
Any documents or materials which a party expects to
utilize in the event of trial (except solely for
impeachment), but which are not stipulated, shall be
identified in writing and exchanged by the parties at
least 14 days before the first day of the trial
session. The Court may refuse to receive in evidence
any document or material not so stipulated or
exchanged, unless otherwise agreed by the parties or
allowed by the Court for good cause shown. * * *
- 103 On each of these occasions, the cases were continued on the joint
motion (or request) of the parties.
On three subsequent
occasions, the cases were set for trial, Standing Pretrial Orders
were served, and the cases were continued on motion of one of the
parties.
On January 15, 2003, the Court issued Orders that, inter
alia, required the parties to exchange all nonstipulation
material, including any schedules, charts, and other documents
that collected or summarized testimony or documents that were for
impeachment purposes, by March 14, 2003, and required the parties
to exchange a list of all documents already in the possession of
opposing counsel.
On August 26, 2003, these cases were set for trial to
commence on February 2, 2004.
The parties were directed to
comply with the Standing Pretrial Order that was served on
April 22, 2003, a copy of which was attached.
During trial of these cases on February 4-6, 2004,
petitioners attempted to move into evidence a large number of
documents that had not been provided to respondent until sometime
on or after January 19, 2004.
A significant portion of these
documents had not been provided to respondent until the morning
of February 4, 2004.
Respondent objected to many of these
documents’ being received in evidence on the grounds that the
documents were hearsay and had not been exchanged in accordance
- 104 with the numerous Standing Pretrial Orders that the Court had
issued in these cases.
We sustained respondent’s objections to
those documents and summaries of those documents offered in
evidence by petitioners.
There was no excuse for the belated
tender of documents, and we reaffirm our rulings on respondent’s
objections.
The documents not received in evidence have not been
considered in our findings of fact.
Issue #1–-Transfers From PK Ventures to the Zephyr Purchasers
Whether a withdrawal of funds from a business by one of its
owners or an advance made to a business by one of its owners
creates a true debtor-creditor relationship is a factual question
to be decided based on all of the relevant facts and
circumstances.
See Haag v. Commissioner, 88 T.C. 604, 615
(1987), affd. without published opinion 855 F.2d 855 (8th Cir.
1988); see also Haber v. Commissioner, 52 T.C. 255, 266 (1969),
affd. 422 F.2d 198 (5th Cir. 1970); Roschuni v. Commissioner, 29
T.C. 1193, 1201-1202 (1958), affd. 271 F.2d 267 (5th Cir. 1959).
For disbursements to constitute bona fide loans, there must have
been, at the time that the funds were transferred, an
unconditional obligation on the part of the transferee to repay
the money and an unconditional intention on the part of the
transferor to secure repayment.
Haag v. Commissioner, supra at
615-616; see also Haber v. Commissioner, supra at 266.
Direct
evidence of a taxpayer’s state of mind is generally unavailable,
- 105 so courts have focused on certain objective factors to
distinguish bona fide loans from disguised dividends and other
distributions, compensation, and contributions to capital.
The
factors considered relevant for purposes of identifying bona fide
loans include (1) the existence or nonexistence of a debt
instrument; (2) provisions for security, interest payments, and a
fixed payment date; (3) the right to enforce the payment of
principal and interest; (4) whether repayments were made; (5) the
source of the funds used to repay the creditor; (6) the failure
of the debtor to pay on the due date or to seek a postponement;
(7) a status equal to or inferior to that of regular business
creditors; (8) “thin” or adequate capitalization; (9) the
debtor’s ability to obtain loans from outside lending
institutions; (10) identity of interest between the business
owner and the debtor or creditor; (11) the extent of a business
owner/creditor’s participation in management; and (12) treatment
of the transferred funds on the business’s books.
See Estate of
Mixon v. United States, 464 F.2d 394, 402 (5th Cir. 1972); In re
Indian Lake Estates, Inc., 448 F.2d 574, 578-579 (5th Cir. 1971);
see also Haag v. Commissioner, supra at 616-617 & n.6; Haber v.
Commissioner, supra at 266.
Each case turns on its own factors,
and “‘differing circumstances may bring different factors to the
fore.’”
Jones v. United States, 659 F.2d 618, 622 (5th Cir.
1981) (quoting Slappey Drive Ind. Park v. United States, 561 F.2d
- 106 572, 581 (5th Cir. 1977)).
When the transferee or transferor is
in substantial control of the business, such control invites a
special scrutiny of the situation.
See Haber v. Commissioner,
supra at 266; Roschuni v. Commissioner, supra at 1202; see also
Tulia Feedlot, Inc. v. United States, 513 F.2d 800, 805 (5th Cir.
1975).
We have applied these principles when analyzing transfers
between two closely held businesses that share a common ownership
but are otherwise unrelated.
See, e.g., Stinnett’s Pontiac
Serv., Inc. v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1982-314, affd. 730 F.2d
634 (11th Cir. 1984); see also Marcy v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo.
1994-534.
Petitioners contend that the facts and circumstances of
these cases establish that transfers from PK Ventures to the
Zephyr purchasers were bona fide loans.
Furthermore, petitioners
contend that these alleged debts became worthless during the
years in which PKV&S claimed bad debt deductions on its
consolidated income tax returns.
Conversely, respondent contends
that the facts and circumstances of these cases establish that
the transfers were not bona fide loans.
Respondent also contends
that, in any event, none of these alleged debts became worthless
during the years in which PKV&S claimed bad debt deductions on
its consolidated income tax returns.
contentions below.
We consider these
- 107 Petitioners contend that, because the Summit Trust loan was
a bona fide loan, the transfers from PK Ventures to the Zephyr
purchasers were also bona fide loans.
Petitioners are
essentially relying on the circumstances surrounding the Summit
Trust loan to establish that the transfers from PK Ventures to
the Zephyr purchasers were bona fide loans.
Petitioners do not
cite any authority to support this contention.
After considering
the relevant factors and weighing the evidence, we reject
petitioners’ contention that the transfers from PK Ventures to
the Zephyr purchasers were bona fide loans for the reasons
discussed below.
First, PK Ventures did not receive promissory notes from the
Zephyr purchasers in exchange for its transfer of $1 million to
them.
Second, no evidence indicates that the Zephyr purchasers
made any agreement with PK Ventures as to the time of repayment
or the interest to be paid.
Third, while PK Ventures provided security for its repayment
of the Summit Trust loan to Summit Trust, no evidence indicates
that the Zephyr purchasers provided any collateral or security
for repayment of the transfers that they received from
PK Ventures.
Fourth, the Zephyr purchasers did not make any payments of
principal or interest to PK Ventures, and no accrued interest
- 108 attributable to these transfers was posted to PK Ventures’
general ledger or reported in its audited financial statements.
Furthermore, there is no indication that any accrued interest
attributable to these transfers was reported in PKV&S’s
consolidated income tax returns for 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, or
1991.
Fifth, no evidence indicates that PK Ventures had the right
to enforce the payment of principal and interest with respect to
its transfers to the Zephyr purchasers.
Sixth, 9 of the 10 Zephyr purchasers were shareholders of
PK Ventures.
As of August 20, 1987, these nine Zephyr purchasers
owned 99.47 percent of the stock of PK Ventures.
Of the
$1 million transferred from PK Ventures to the Zephyr purchasers,
Rose received $400,000, an amount proportional to his 40-percent
interest in PK Ventures.
There is no evidence of the specific
amounts transferred from PK Ventures to each of the nine other
Zephyr purchasers.
Seventh, based upon Rose’s experience in corporate finance,
we are convinced that he could have documented the transfers from
PK Ventures to the Zephyr purchasers with promissory notes and
arranged for these transfers to occur under terms significantly
closer to arm’s length than those that were actually chosen.
This conclusion is bolstered by our consideration of the
structure and formality of (1) the financing arrangements into
- 109 which PK Ventures had entered in connection with the purchase of
the stock of SLPC, TBPC, TPC, and TPTC; (2) the Summit Trust
loan; (3) the financing arrangements into which Rose had entered
in connection with his acquisition of control of PK Ventures
during 1990; and (4) the financing arrangements between PKVI LP
and unrelated parties.
Eighth, the labels given to the transfers from PK Ventures
to the Zephyr purchasers on PK Ventures’ audited financial
statements for the years ended December 31, 1987, December 31,
1988, and December 31, 1989, and on the Schedules L attached to
PKV&S’s consolidated income tax returns for 1987, 1988, and 1989
cannot overcome the substance of these transfers.
See Estate of
Mixon v. United States, 464 F.2d at 403-404; cf. Gregory v.
Helvering, 293 U.S. 465, 468-470 (1935).
Based upon our analysis
of the relevant factors, we conclude that these transfers were,
in substance, distributions of property from PK Ventures to its
shareholders.
Because the transfers from PK Ventures to the Zephyr
purchasers were not bona fide loans, we need not decide questions
of worthlessness and timing.
See sec. 1.166-1(c), Income Tax
Regs. (“Only a bona fide debt qualifies for purposes of section
166.”).
Accordingly, we sustain respondent’s determination that
PKV&S is not entitled to bad debt deductions of $600,000 and
$400,000 on its consolidated income tax returns for 1990 and
- 110 1991, respectively, for the transfers from PK Ventures to the
Zephyr purchasers.
Respondent determined that PK Ventures’ transfer of $400,000
to Rose in connection with the Zephyr purchase constituted a
constructive dividend to him in 1990.
Consequently, respondent
increased the Roses’ taxable income by $400,000 in 1990 and
determined that the Roses should not have reported $400,000 of
cancellation of indebtedness income on their joint income tax
return for 1991.
We agree that the Roses should not have
reported $400,000 of cancellation of indebtedness income on their
joint income tax return for 1991 because, as we discussed above,
PK Ventures’ transfer of $400,000 to Rose in connection with the
Zephyr purchase was not a bona fide loan.
With respect to
respondent’s treatment of the $400,000 transfer as a dividend
distribution in 1990, petitioners contend that, because the
transfer occurred in 1987, the transfer could only be a dividend
distribution to Rose in that year rather than in 1990.
Respondent has not offered an explanation as to why this $400,000
transfer should be treated as a dividend distribution to Rose in
1990.
Because we have decided that the transfer from PK Ventures
to Rose in connection with the Zephyr purchase was not a bona
fide loan, we agree with petitioners, and we hold that the
transfer is not a dividend distribution to Rose in 1990 (or in
any of the other years before the Court in these cases).
See
- 111 sec. 1.301-1(b), Income Tax Regs.; see also R&T Developers, Inc.
v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1973-128; Gurtman v. United States,
237 F. Supp. 533, 537-538 (D.N.J. 1965), affd. per curiam on
other issues 353 F.2d 212 (3d Cir. 1965).
Issue #2--Transfers From PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC to PKVI LP
Approximately two-thirds ($1,096,250 out of $1,516,246)
transferred from PK Ventures and its subsidiaries to PKVI LP was
transferred during 1986 through 1990.
PKVI LP only for 1991.
An FPAA was issued to
PKVI LP was a partnership subject to the
provisions of the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of
1982 (TEFRA), partially codified at secs. 6221-6233.
The parties
agree that the characterization of transfers from a partner to a
TEFRA partnership as debt or equity is a “partnership item” that
can be adjusted only upon issuance of an FPAA.
See sec.
301.6231(a)(3)-1(a)(4), 301-6231(a)(3)-1(c)(2)(i), Proced. &
Admin. Regs.
In the absence of a valid FPAA for a particular
year, neither respondent nor the Court may adjust partnership
items for that year.
See generally Maxwell v. Commissioner, 87
T.C. 783, 788-789 (1986).
For 1991, however, in the FPAA sent to PKVI LP, respondent
disallowed interest expense in the amount of $100,661 because it
had not been established that the interest expense was
attributable to a bona fide debt.
Thus, in determining whether
that interest expense deduction is allowable, we have found facts
- 112 relating to the transfers and applied the factors discussed in
the preceding section to determine whether the transfers were
bona fide debt or capital contributions.
Petitioners argue that the following factors support their
contention that the transfers from PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC to
PKVI LP during 1986 through 1991 were bona fide loans:
(1) Formal indicia of debt, (2) risk involved, (3) participation
in management and identity of interest, (4) intent of the parties
(5) capitalization, (6) independent financing, and
(7) acquisition of capital assets and failure to repay on the due
date.
In making their argument, petitioners do not attempt to
distinguish the transfers from TBPC and TPTC to PKVI LP from the
transfers between PK Ventures and PKVI LP.
Accordingly, from
this point forward, we refer to these transfers as occurring
between PK Ventures and PKVI LP.
After considering the relevant
factors and weighing the evidence, we reject petitioners’
contention that the transfers from PK Ventures to PKVI LP were
bona fide loans for the reasons discussed below.
First, we are unpersuaded that the PKVI LP promissory notes
are reliable evidence of any indebtedness between PKVI LP and
PK Ventures.
There is no indication that the PKVI LP promissory
notes were completed contemporaneously with PKVI LP’s receipt of
funds from PK Ventures.
Rather, Rose testified that his
preparation of the PKVI LP promissory notes was “ministerial” and
- 113 completed on a cumulative basis, so as to account for the total
amount of the transfers from PK Ventures to PKVI LP in
preparation for the yearly audit of these businesses’ financial
records.
Moreover, at the time that Rose signed the $1,516,246
promissory note (i.e., the note representing the aggregate amount
of the transfers from PK Ventures to PKVI LP during 1986 through
1991), Rose, as a general partner with a 70-percent interest in
PKVI LP, neither intended to have PKVI LP repay any of this
amount to PK Ventures nor intended to repay any of this amount
himself.
These facts undermine the reliability of the PKVI LP
promissory notes.
In addition, the purported terms of the
PKVI LP promissory notes were contradicted by the statements made
in PKVI LP’s audited financial statements for the year ended
December 31, 1990, and PKV&S’s audited consolidated financial
statements for the year ended December 31, 1991, that the
transfers from PK Ventures, TBPC, and TPTC to PKVI LP did not
bear interest.
Accordingly, we are unpersuaded that the
existence of the PKVI LP promissory notes justifies a conclusion
that the transfers from PK Ventures to PKVI LP were bona fide
loans.
Second, unlike the basic structure of PKVI LP’s debt to
unrelated parties, the transfers from PK Ventures to PKVI LP were
not secured by the hydroelectric properties owned by PKVI LP; did
not have a fixed payment date; and, as established by PKVI LP’s
- 114 audited financial statements for the year ended December 31,
1990, and PKV&S’s audited consolidated financial statements for
the year ended December 31, 1991, did not bear interest.
Third, no evidence indicates that PKVI LP actually made any
payments of principal or interest to PK Ventures.
Moreover,
PKV&S’s inconsistent reporting of imputed interest payments from
PKVI LP on its consolidated income tax returns for 1987 through
1991 does not persuade us that the transfers from PK Ventures to
PKVI LP were bona fide loans.
Fourth, no evidence indicates that PK Ventures had the right
to enforce the payment of principal or interest with respect to
its transfers to PKVI LP.
Rather, PK Ventures and PKVI LP agreed
that PKVI LP would not make any payments of principal or interest
if such payments would have caused it to default or breach any
other note or agreement to which it was a party.
This agreement
subordinated the right of PK Ventures to demand payment of its
transfers to PKVI LP to the rights of PKVI LP’s creditors.
Fifth, PKVI LP was thinly capitalized.
PKVI LP reported
$50,000 of capital contributions on its books.
PKVI LP had
approximately 24 times more debt to unrelated parties than it had
equity at the end of 1986, 37 times more at the end of 1987,
45 times more at the end of 1988 and 1989, 42 times more at the
end of 1990, and 45 times more at the end of 1991.
If the
transfers from PK Ventures to PKVI LP are treated as debt and
- 115 included in this analysis, these ratios would increase to
approximately 54:1 at the end of 1989, 64:1 at the end of 1990,
and 75:1 at the end of 1991.
PKVI LP was experiencing serious
financial difficulties as of 1989, and these difficulties
continued through 1990 and 1991.
Sixth, after 1988, PKVI LP was unable to obtain any
additional financing from unrelated parties other than a $125,000
loan from First Fidelity.
PKVI LP entered into this loan
agreement with First Fidelity on or before October 16, 1989.
PKVI LP was also able to renegotiate its outstanding loan
agreements with Liberty Life and MGFP between December 31, 1989,
and December 31, 1991, but no additional financing was provided
to PKVI LP by either Liberty Life or MGFP as part of these
renegotiated agreements.
Furthermore, a substantial portion (if
not all) of the $1,516,246 that was transferred from PK Ventures
to PKVI LP was received by PKVI LP during and after 1989.
The
timing of the transfers from PK Ventures to PKVI LP coupled with
PKVI LP’s inability to obtain additional financing from unrelated
parties does not support a conclusion that the transfers from
PK Ventures to PKVI LP were bona fide loans.
Seventh, besides the initial capital contributions that were
made to PKVI LP, no evidence indicates that any of PKVI LP’s
limited partners other than PK Ventures transferred funds to the
partnership between September 15, 1986, and December 7, 1990.
- 116 During that period, PK Ventures’ limited partnership interest in
PKVI LP increased from zero to 29 percent (i.e., PK Ventures
acquired the entire limited partnership interest in PKVI LP).
PK Ventures’ increased ownership interest in PKVI LP was due, in
large part, to partners owning at least 24.65 percent of
PKVI LP’s limited partnership interests assigning their interests
in the partnership to PK Ventures for apparently no consideration
other than relief from the partnership’s liabilities.
Furthermore, these assignments occurred during the time in which
PKVI LP was experiencing serious financial difficulties.
These
facts do not support a conclusion that the transfers from
PK Ventures to PKVI LP were bona fide loans.
Rather, these facts
indicate that PK Ventures gai
This text is long and has been trimmed here. Open the source document for the complete record.
This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.