- 37 - contributions to capital. The factors considered relevant for purposes of identifying bona fide loans include (1) the existence or nonexistence of a debt instrument; (2) provisions for security, interest payments, and a fixed payment date; (3) treatment of the funds on the corporation’s books; (4) whether repayments were made; (5) the extent of the shareholder’s participation in management; and (6) the effect of the “loan” on the shareholder/employee’s salary. Haber v. Commissioner, supra at 266; see also In re Indian Lake Estates, Inc., 448 F.2d 574, 578-579 (5th Cir. 1971); Haag v. Commissioner, supra at 616-617 & n.6. When the individuals are in substantial control of the corporation, as petitioners were in these cases, such control invites a special scrutiny of the situation. Haber v. Commissioner, supra at 266; Roschuni v. Commissioner, supra at 1202. For the reasons set forth below, we conclude that the facts of record do not support the Gownis’ attempt to characterize the distributions that they received from Mina of Forest City and Bishoy in 1999 as repayments of bona fide loans. First, no note or other evidence of indebtedness representing the amount or existence of the shareholder loans was given to the Gownis by Mina of Forest City or Bishoy. Second, no evidence indicates that Mina of Forest City or Bishoy provided any collateral or security for repayment of these purported loan amounts or that the corporations made anyPage: Previous 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 Next
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