- 10 - of the settlement that respondent attributes to decedent's previously reported royalties. However, the parties have stipulated that decedent reported all the royalties that she received for the years 1975 through 1980. Under these circumstances, the Rule 155 computation cannot be based on the assumption that decedent received more royalty income during the years 1975 through 1980 than she reported on her returns.8 Based upon the available information, we find that 24 percent of the $681,840 settlement, or $163,641, should be attributed to excess royalties received and reported by decedent during the years 1975 through 1980.9 This $163,641 should then be allocated to each of the years 1975 through 1980 in proportion to the amount of gross royalties that decedent reported during each of these years. For purposes of making the computations required by section 1341(a)(5), these respective amounts should be reduced by the proportionate amount of depletion allowance that decedent took on her 1975 through 1980 returns. The resulting amounts should then be excluded from reported income 8Respondent made no argument that this aspect of the computation was an attempt to determine which portion of Exxon's claims against decedent was attributable to Jessamine's royalties. Indeed, respondent's counsel acknowledged that Jessamine's royalties could not be identified and that respondent's computations give petitioner the benefit of any doubt on this point. 9This allocation does not attribute any portion of the $681,840 settlement to interest that Exxon claimed in addition to its base claim for excess royalties. Respondent's proposed computation made no allocation of the $681,840 settlement to interest and presented no arguments regarding how such an allocation should or could be made.Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Next
Last modified: May 25, 2011