Estate of Emerson Winkler, Deceased, Thomas Winkler and Darrell S. Winkler, Co-Executors, et al. - Page 21

                                        - 21 -                                         

             partner contributes one or both of the ingredients of                     
             income--capital or services."  Commissioner v. Culbertson,                
             337 U.S. 733, 740 (1949).  In deciding whether two or more                
             persons have formed a partnership:                                        
                  The question is not whether the services or                          
                  capital contributed by a partner are of                              
                  sufficient importance to meet some objective                         
                  standard * * * but whether, considering all the                      
                  facts--the agreement, the conduct of the parties                     
                  in execution of its provisions, their statements,                    
                  the testimony of disinterested persons, the                          
                  relationship of the parties, their respective                        
                  abilities and capital contributions, the actual                      
                  control of income and the purposes for which it                      
                  is used, and any other facts throwing light on                       
                  their true intent--the parties in good faith and                     
                  acting with a business purpose intended to join                      
                  together in the present conduct of the                               
                  enterprise.  Id.                                                     

             See Luna v. Commissioner, 42 T.C. 1067, 1077-1078 (1964).                 
                  Recognition of a partnership for Federal tax purposes                
             also requires that the parties conduct some business                      
             activity.  See Madison Gas & Elec. Co. v. Commissioner,                   
             633 F.2d 512, 514-518 (7th Cir. 1980), affg. 72 T.C. 521                  
             (1979); Frazell v. Commissioner, 88 T.C. 1405, 1412 (1987).               
             For example, it is clear that neither joint ownership of                  
             property nor sharing of expenses, by itself, creates a                    
             partnership for Federal tax purposes.  Madison Gas &                      
             Elec. Co. v. Commissioner, supra; Estate of Appleby v.                    
             Commissioner, 41 B.T.A. 18, 20 (1940), affd. 123 F.2d 700                 
             (2d Cir. 1941); Gabriel v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1993-                 




Page:  Previous  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  24  25  26  27  28  29  30  Next

Last modified: May 25, 2011