- 9 - nonbusiness debt is allowed. See Black v. Commissioner, 52 T.C. 147, 151 (1969). A bona fide debt arises from a debtor-creditor relationship where there is a valid and enforceable obligation to pay a fixed or determinable sum of money. See sec. 1.166-1(c), Income Tax Regs. No deduction may be taken for money advanced without a reasonable expectation of repayment. See Zimmerman v. United States, 318 F.2d 611, 613 (9th Cir. 1963). Thus, for this Court to find that petitioner and Estes entered into a valid debtor- creditor relationship, petitioner must show that the loans were not contingent and that they were made with a reasonable expectation, belief, and intention that the advances would be repaid. See id. Contingent Debt Respondent contends that repayment of the advances was contingent upon the success of the Theratech device. Therefore, respondent contends that these advances constitute contingent loans. Respondent argues that, because the Theratech device was never financially successful, the requisite contingency never occurred and the debts never became bona fide. We disagree. Respondent confuses contingencies with risk. A contingency creates a condition precedent to the obligation to repay an advance. See Zimmerman v. United States, supra; Ewing v. Commissioner, 20 T.C. 216 (1953), affd. 213 F.2d 438 (2d Cir.Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
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