Estate of Eileen Kerr Stevens - Page 8




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          which the trier of fact must weigh all relevant evidence and draw           
          appropriate inferences and conclusions.  See Commissioner v.                
          Scottish Am. Inv. Co., 323 U.S. 119, 123-125 (1944).                        
               Real estate valuation is a question of fact to be resolved             
          on the basis of the entire record.  See Ahmanson Found. v. United           
          States, 674 F.2d 761, 769 (9th Cir. 1981); Estate of Fawcett v.             
          Commissioner, 64 T.C. 889, 898 (1975).  After determining the               
          gross value of the property, there may be adjustments upward or             
          downward for such factors affecting value as minority discounts,            
          discounts for lack of marketability, control premiums, and                  
          fractional interest discounts.  See Estate of Andrews v.                    
          Commissioner, 79 T.C. 938, 953-956 (1982) (minority discount);              
          Estate of Piper v. Commissioner, 72 T.C. 1062, 1084-1086 (1979)             
          (discount for lack of marketability for stock); Estate of                   
          O’Keeffe v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1992-210 (blockage discounts           
          for works of art); Estate of Salsbury v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo.           
          1975-333 (control premiums).                                                
               Valuation is an inexact process.  See Buffalo Tool & Die               
          Manufacturing Co. v. Commissioner, 74 T.C. 441, 452 (1980).  As             
          the trier of fact, we may use experts to assist in deciding upon            
          a value, but we are not bound by those experts’ views or                    
          opinions.  See Silverman v. Commissioner, 538 F.2d 927, 933 (2d             
          Cir. 1976), affg. T.C. Memo. 1974-285; Chiu v. Commissioner, 84             
          T.C. 722, 734 (1985).  One expert may be persuasive on a                    






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