Griffin Paper Corporation - Page 18

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          benefits and burdens of owning the stock from Griffin to LRC.               
          Respondent and Griffin counter that Griffin sold the subject                
          stock to GNN in 1989 for $31.75 million.  Respondent and Griffin            
          argue that the benefits and burdens of owning the subject stock             
          shifted in 1989 upon the exercise of the put.  According to                 
          respondent, the legal title and beneficial ownership of the                 
          subject stock in 1981 resided in Griffin, although GNN had the              
          greater opportunity for gain and risk of loss.  Griffin contends            
          that the intention of the parties and the form of the transaction           
          indicate that the sale occurred in 1989.                                    
               We agree with Griffin and respondent that the sale occurred            
          in 1989.3  A sale of property occurs for Federal income tax                 
          purposes when the benefits and burdens of owning the property               
          shift from the seller to the buyer.  Dettmers v. Commissioner,              
          430 F.2d 1019, 1023 (6th Cir. 1970), affg. Estate of Johnson v.             
          Commissioner, 51 T.C. 290 (1968); Lowe v. Commissioner, 44 T.C.             
          363, 369 (1965); Merrill v. Commissioner, 40 T.C. 66, 74 (1963),            
          affd. per curiam 336 F.2d 771 (9th Cir. 1964).  This Court has              
          considered the following factors in passing on the time of such a           
          shift:  (1) Whether legal title passes, Grodt & McKay Realty,               

               3 At the outset, we note that we disagree with Griffin and             
          respondent that GNN is attempting to disregard the form of the              
          transaction in violation of Commissioner v. Danielson, 378 F.2d             
          771 (3d Cir. 1967), vacating and remanding 44 T.C. 549 (1965).              
          Danielson is inapplicable to this case because the issue rests on           
          the tax consequences of the 1981 Agreements.  GNN is not seeking            
          to disavow the terms of the contract.  This case turns on the               
          effect of the terms of the Stockholders' Agreement.                         




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