- 6 - not on the jurisdiction of the Orphans’ Court or the unavailability of personal injury damages pursuant to RICO because the determination of whether a settlement payment is exempt from taxation depends on the nature of the claim settled and not on the nature of the claim filed. See Seay v. Commissioner, 58 T.C. 32, 37 (1972). The settlement’s terms, which are inconsistent, do not determine whether the payments are excludable. See Robinson v. Commissioner, 102 T.C. 116, 129 (1994) (stating that “this Court will not blindly accept the terms contained in a settlement agreement,” especially when those terms are tax-motivated), affd. in part, revd. in part and remanded on other grounds 70 F.3d 34 (5th Cir. 1995). The testimony of the witnesses, however, leads us to conclude that the claims settled were in the nature of personal injury (i.e., stress, infliction of emotional distress, and damage to health) and based upon tort or tort type rights. None of the parties believed that Kenneth would recover damages relating to the Orphans’ Court and RICO claims. The personal injury claim, however, while not filed, was viable. The sons paid the settlement on account of this claim. The facts of this case are consistent with those of Seay, where we held that damages were excludable, although the claim was not prepared or filed, when the taxpayer’s attorney believed his client had a personal injury claim, the payer’s attorney knew of the claim,Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next
Last modified: May 25, 2011