- 10 - Respondent argues that the deductibility of the legal fees is governed by section 263. Section 263 disallows deductions for capital expenditures. Legal expenses paid to defend or perfect title to property are capital expenditures and are not currently deductible. Woodward v. Commissioner, 397 U.S. 572, 575-576 (1970); Boagni v. Commissioner, 59 T.C. 708, 711-712 (1973). We must look to the origin of the claim to decide whether the legal fees paid by petitioner are currently deductible. Woodward v. Commissioner, supra at 577-578. The origin-of-the- claim test requires us to examine the "origin" and "character" of the legal claim rather than the taxpayer's subjective purpose in filing the lawsuit. Id.; United States v. Gilmore, 372 U.S. 39, 49 (1963). In Gilmore the Supreme Court said: the origin and character of the claim with respect to which an expense was incurred, rather than its potential consequences upon the fortunes of the taxpayer, is the controlling basic test of whether the expense was "business" or "personal" and hence whether it is deductible or not * * * [United States v. Gilmore, supra at 49]. The origin of the claim is identified by analyzing all of the facts and circumstances surrounding the litigation. Id. at 47- 48. If the origin of the claim involves the defense or protection of title to property, the legal fees are nondeductible capital expenditures. Brown v. United States, 526 F.2d 135, 138- 139 (6th Cir. 1975); Boagni v. Commissioner, supra at 713. ThePage: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Next
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