- 33 - commingling of funds between the partnership and decedent. See, e.g., Estate of Reichardt v. Commissioner, 114 T.C. at 155. Gates testified that she tracked the financial statements and kept the accounting books for the partnership exactly as she had for Sea Shell. No changes were made until after decedent’s death. This testimony does not explain how the personal residence was not a partnership asset. Instead, it demonstrates the estate’s complete disregard for the formalities of financial statements. Based on the record as a whole, we reject the estate’s claims that the partnership agreement changed any real relationship between Hillgren and decedent or that it changed decedent’s interest in the properties. 3. Distributions From LKHP The estate admits that decedent received all of the income distributed from the partnership in the 5 months preceding her death. The estate further admits that decedent was dependent on the cashflow from the partnership for her living expenses. The estate claims that, presumably, Hillgren would have received cash distributions as well if decedent had remained alive through the end of the year. In addition, the estate claims that there was no history of disproportionate distributions because the 5 months of partnership distributions was too short to create a pattern. Respondent argues that there was an implied agreement, asPage: Previous 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 Next
Last modified: May 25, 2011