- 9 - 697 (3d Cir. 1968). No single factor is controlling. Dixie Dairies Corp. v. Commissioner, supra at 493. Petitioners argue that all of the funds that petitioners transferred to Auto Plaza constituted bona fide business loans that became worthless and therefore the bad debts qualify for a business bad debt deduction under section 166. Respondent argues that petitioners’ transfers of funds to Auto Plaza should be treated as capital contributions and, thus, petitioners should not be allowed to claim a bad debt deduction under section 166. When petitioners made the transfers to Auto Plaza, no loan agreements or promissory notes were drafted or executed. The absence of notes or other instruments favors respondent. See Calumet Indus., Inc. v. Commissioner, supra at 286. Petitioners argue that the transfers were recorded as “loans from shareholders” on the corporation’s books and records. Transfers to closely held corporations by controlling shareholders are subject to heightened scrutiny, and labels attached to such transfers by the controlling shareholders through bookkeeping entries or testimony have limited significance unless these labels are supported by objective evidence. Fin Hay Realty Co. v. United States, supra at 697; Dixie Dairies Corp. v. Commissioner, supra at 495. Here, petitioners were the majority shareholders of the corporationPage: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
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