Thomas M. and Christine A. Fries - Page 18

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          at 605.  We look to whether the terms of the purported debt were            
          a "patent distortion of what would normally have been available"            
          to the debtor in an arm's-length transaction.  Litton Bus. Sys.,            
          Inc. v. Commissioner, 61 T.C. at 379.                                       
               Petitioner made an advance to National without securing it.            
          While he alleged that travel agencies were routinely financed in            
          such a manner by outside lending institutions, we doubt this                
          occurs without some type of security, especially in light of                
          National's recent incorporation and financial straits.  See                 
          Thompson v. Commissioner, supra at 895.  Thus, petitioner failed            
          to act as a reasonable creditor with respect to an                          
          undercapitalized nascent enterprise.  Rather, the advance was               
          placed at the risk of National's business.                                  
               10.  Extent to Which the Advance Was Used To Acquire Capital           
               Assets                                                                 
               Generally, the fact that an advance is used to satisfy the             
          daily operating needs of a corporation indicates a bona fide                
          indebtedness, whereas an advance resembles equity if it is used             
          to acquire capital assets.  Estate of Mixon v. United States, 464           
          F.2d at 410.  However, advances to new firms that were initially            
          capitalized inadequately also resemble equity even though the               
          advances may be used to meet basic operating costs.  See Texas              
          Farm Bureau v. United States, 725 F.2d at 314; Gilboy v.                    
          Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1978-114.  In the instant case, newly              
          incorporated National used a portion of the advance to purchase             





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