Welcome to TaxView with Chris Moss CPA

Are you an entrepreneur with family business? Have you thought about your children and grandchildren being more involved in your business? Perhaps a Family Limited Liability Company (Family LLC) is just what you need. Properly structured for your unique situation, the Family LLC is a 21st century way to hand down the family business for generations to come in a safe, protected and orderly business structure. But if you set up your Family LLC be aware you face dangerous IRS tax mines hidden in IRS Code Section 2036(a) that could explode your tax plan into an IRS audit focusing on when a gift is not a gift (GINAG) and when a transfer is not a transfer (TINAT). Indeed, you may experience unexpected increases in estate tax so high the children might have to sell the farm just to pay the tax. So if you don’t want GINAG or TINAT, or just want to learn more about them, stay with us here on TaxView with Chris Moss CPA to fully understand how to avoid GINAG, TINAT, and Section 2036(a) so you can save and preserve your assets for your children for many generations to come.

Section 2036(a) prohibits you transferring property out of your estate that are “testamentary “in nature. The US Supreme Court in Grace V US, 395 US 316 (1969) has defined “testamentary” as those transfers which leave you in significant control over the property transferred. For example you still control the business you just transferred to your children.Section 2036(a) does not apply to transfers that are bona-fide sales for adequate and full consideration. Furthermore, the bona fide sale exception is satisfied where the record establishes you had a legitimate and significant nontax reason for creating your Family LLC, and your children received membership interests proportionate to the value of the property transferred. Turner v IRS 2011 at page 33. Therefore, all transfers and gifts to adult or minor children in a Family Limited Liability Company must be perfectly executed to comply with Section 2036(a). See Bigelow v IRS, 503 F.3d 955 (2007)Affirming Bigelow v IRS T.C. Memo. 2005-65; also see Rector v IRS 2007.

Our first US Tax Court case is True v IRS 2001. Dave and Jean True made direct gifts in their family business to some or all of their children every year form 1955-1993 at the maximum annual exclusion each year. True did not use a Family LLC. Instead of using an LLC Operating Agreement, True created restrictive buy-sell agreements for all of the family. This Agreements gave Dave True total control over all family business. Dave True died on June 4, 1994 with many various trusts in place with True still maintaining control over all businesses. An Estate Tax return was filed on March 3, 1995 with the Estate valued less the value of all the gifts given to all the children over all the years. The estate was audited by the IRS in 1998. Do you all see the GINAG and TINAT coming?

Sure enough the IRS determined that the whole purposes of the gifts to the True children and related buy-sell agreements was to avoid estate tax. The Government sent the True family a bill for over $75 Million plus $30 Million in penalties adding back all those gifts as a violation of Section 2036(a). This is major GINAG. Why? True was giving everything away without a business structure to back up his estate plan making the primary motive to avoid estate tax. As the Court notes on page 108 of this over 300 page Opinion, Dave True had “control” over the whole operation which made for good GINAG in that he had a “life estate” in the business operations. In my view if True had set up a Family Limited Liability Company with normal restrictions placed in a family Operating Agreement allowing the family under unanimous consent provisions to control the assets, GINAG and TINAT would have been avoided, and assets would have been preserved and protected from Section 2036(a). Unfortunately for the True children, IRS wins True loses.

Our next case is Hurford v IRS 2008. Thelma Hurford was a very wealth widow. On advice of legal counsel she formed a Family Limited Partnership which allowed her to transfer assets, including farms and ranches into a single entity. Hurford gave a 25% interest to each of her children. But Hurford still maintained control over everything. GINAG is written all over this. Hurford even remained the sole signatory on many of the accounts. Hurford died on February 19, 2001. The estate tax return was filed on September 26, 2001. The IRS audited the return on November 18, 2004 claiming Hurford owed over $20 Million for estate and gift tax. Hurford appealed to US Tax Court in Hurford v IRS 2008.

Judge Holmes and the Government proposed GINAG for the whole estate plan calling it nothing more than a transparently thin substitute for a will. The Court agreed with the Government finding that Hurford retained an impermissible interest in the assets she had tried to transfer to her children in total violation of Section 2036(a). Further the Court noted that Thelma commingled her own funds with the partnerships until shortly before she died, and that there was no meaningful economic activity where the partnership furthers family investment goals or where the partners work together to jointly manage family investments. You guessed it IRS wins Hurford loses.

Our last case: Stone vs IRS 2003. Mr. and Mrs. Stone founded multiple business ventures. They were also beneficiaries of various trusts. Perhaps due to or because of all this wealth, the family and 4 children Eugene, Rivers, Rosalie and Mary and other parties sued each other in the early 1990s over these trusts. After settlement of all the litigation, Stone formed 5 family limited partnerships in 1996 for his wife and 4 adult children. The partnership agreements provided unanimous consent of all partners to sell, transfer or encumber property and the children worked in the businesses owned by the partnerships. Mr. Stone died as a South Carolina resident on June 5, 1997 at age 89. Mrs. Stone died on October 16, 1998 at age 86. An estate tax return was filed for both Mr. and Mrs. Stone and the IRS eventually audited. The Government sent Mr. Stone a bill for $8 Million and Mrs. Stone a bill for $1.5 Million claiming the transfers to the partnerships violated Section 2036(a). Stones appealed to US Tax Court Stone v IRS 2003.

Judge Chiechi notes that the Stones retained enough assets in their estate to maintain their life style. The Court found that transfers were motivated primarily by investment and business concerns relating to the management of certain of the respective assets of Mr. and Mrs. Stone during their lives and thereafter. The Court concludes that the partnerships had economic substance and operated as joint enterprises for profit through which the children actively participated in the management and development of the assets and therefore the transfers were bona fide sales for adequate and full consideration in money or money’s worth under section 2036(a). Stone wins IRS Loses. Also see Mirowski v IRS US Tax Court 2008

So what does this all mean for us? If you have a business or perhaps multiple businesses and your tax attorney has suggested a Family Limited Liability Company which will own all of these businesses make sure the operating agreements protect you from Section 2036(a) and GINAG and TINAT. Based on the US Tax Court case law, retain some assets for yourself to maintain your lifestyle and perhaps transfer everything else to the LLC. Regarding adult children who are willing to participate in the family business see to it that they are signatures on the bank accounts and make sure there are unanimous consent requirements for all important decisions. Any gifts to minor children through the annual tax free gift exclusion require an absolute legitimate bullet proof non tax purpose in forming the LLC. Finally consult a tax attorney to create your unique business plan. Avoid GINAG and TINA. Most importantly avoid violation of Section 2036(a). You will be ready for any IRS audit coming your way and your assets will be part of your family legacy to your children and your children’s children for many years to come.

Thanks for joining me on TaxView with Chris Moss CPA.

Kindest regards
Chris Moss CPA

Welcome to TaxView with Chris Moss CPA.

Has your tax attorney mentioned that Congress could someday sooner than you might think dramatically reduce the $5 Million gift exemption ($10 Million married) to which President Obama gave his blessing in December of 2012. If you are a baby boomer thinking of retiring with substantial assets, and want to take advantage of these historic large gift tax exemptions, you most likely will soon be aggressively gifting your assets to the kids and grandchildren with substantial discounts through a strictly controlled Family Limited Liability Company. But in case you have not yet started the gifting process but are thinking of doing so, or if you are in the process of gifting now, did you know the two basic steps that you need to take to protect your assets from adverse government action if you get audited by the IRS. Moreover, without including such steps in your estate and gifting plan, an IRS audit may dramatically increase you gift and estate tax liability to the Government many years from now, perhaps even many years after you are long gone. So I would recommend that you all continue with TaxView to review the basic two steps in bulletproofing your gift tax returns from harm in the likely event of an IRS audit.

Step one is to gift your children the LLC memberships, not the assets themselves. Let’s take a look why this matters as we review US Tax Court SUZANNE J. PIERRE VS IRS to learn the difference between valuations of underlying assets vs the valuation of LLC member interests and why this is so important. Pierre transferred over $4 Million in publically traded stock to a single member LLC and then days later transferred substantial memberships to trusts for her son and granddaughter. Gift tax returns were filed reflecting over 30% discounted gifts due to lack of marketability and control. The IRS audited the Gift Tax returns and issued a notice of deficiency of over $1 Million. The government argued that the underlying assets, the stocks and securities were the gift, not the LLC and that no discounts could be applied directly to those assets. Pierre argued the opposite view, that IRS rules do not control, that state law controls and more specifically under state law, a membership interest in an LLC is personal property, and a member has no interest in specific property of the LLC. You may want to also review “Cost Basis For Beginners” on the difference between inside and outside basis. Judge Wells sided with Pierre because pursuant to state law Pierre did not have a property interest in the underlying assets of Pierre LLC. Accordingly, the IRS could not create a property right in those assets.

The second and final step in gifting to the kids is a little more complicated. Your discount must be supported by an expert appraiser sometimes many years later in US Tax Court after you are long gone. While Pierre allowed for a 30% discount, other cases have not always been so generous to the taxpayers. For example, in Lappo vs IRS 2003 Lappogifted to children though a family partnership in 1996. In 2001 the IRS audited the 2006 gift tax return increasing the gift from $1,040,000 to $3,137,287, Larro appealed to US Tax Court. Larro’s expert concluded a 35% discount was appropriate. The Government’s expert concluded an 8% discount was appropriate. Judge Thornton’s rather short but very well thought out 27 page Opinion compacted with facts and details only appraisers could appreciate, concludes after an exhaustive examination of expert witnesses for both sides that a 24% discount was appropriate. Just in case you didn’t notice the average between 35% and 8% is 25.5%, and not too bad for Lappo. Unfortunately Tax Court judges do not usually average the discount valuations from the IRS and the Taxpayer and split the difference as clearly evidenced in our next case of True vs IRS.

The True family of Casper, Wyoming didn’t fare so well in US Tax Court case of True vs IRS in 2001. The True clan made their money in Oil and Gas Exploration and Drilling. True believed in the family partnerships and the strength of a unified family in business and America. Dave True gave each of his children general partnership interests in various family business interests. True created numerous operating agreements severely restricted the marketability and control of the family members through the use of buy sell agreements requiring family members to participate in the business or be bought out at predetermined appraised market values forming the basis of the gift tax returns filed in 1993 and 1994 using 30% discounts.

The IRS audited the 1993 1994 gift tax returns and found massive valuation understatements. The True family appealed to US Tax Court. Judge Beghe’s Opinion reviews the work of government expert witnesses, painstakingly detailing the reasoning behind the discounts and then analyzes the use of buy-sell agreements in gift tax valuations. It’s hard to believe but the True family did not retain expert appraisers. Instead, Dave True consulted Mr. Harris, the family’s accountant and longtime financial adviser. Mr. Harris advised True to use a tax book value purchase price formula under the buy-sell agreements for gift tax valuations. However, the Court noted Mr. Harris’s expertise was in accounting not appraisals….and he was the only professional with whom Dave True consulted in selecting the book value formula price” Id at 110. The Court rejected any notion that Mr. Harris was qualified to opine on the reasonableness of using the tax book value formula in the True family buy-sell agreements. The Court further noted that “Mr. Harris was closely associated with the True family; his objectivity was questionable and more importantly, he had no technical training or practical experience in valuing closely held businesses.” Id 111 Without the power of an army of experts to help True, the Government’s experts easily persuaded the Court that only a 10% discount should be allowed, costing the True family millions in dollars of additional taxes, penalties and interest.

How can we learn from True? How can you preserve and keep safe your assets for the next generation? In my view you need to consider gifting strategies in light of ever changing Congressional intent regarding estate and gift tax exemption amounts and tax rates. I personally prefer to save taxes now, as we may never know what “later” will bring. To save taxes now I recommend many of you baby boomers to consult with your tax attorney and estate planners asking them about the two step process in gifting to your kids and grandchildren through a Family Limited Liability Company. Make sure you retain the best and the brightest appraiser prior to filing your gift tax return with the US Government. Your gift tax valuations, your Family LLC Member Discounts, and all the taxes you saved now will be bulletproofed from adverse consequences later during an IRS audit many years from now. Happy Gifting to all from Chris Moss CPA and Thanks for joining me on TaxView.

Submitted by Chris Moss CPA

Submitted by Chris Moss CPA

Credit Suisse pleads guilty to helping “clients deceive U.S. tax authorities by concealing assets in illegal, undeclared bank accounts, in a conspiracy that spanned decades..” ---and no one going to jail?   According to news reports the only penalty to Credit Suisse was a $2.5 billion fine.  In fact, US Attorney General Eric Holder, made certain that Credit Suisse and their CEO Brandy Dougan would still be allowed to do business as usual in the aftermath of the criminal plea.

Are you surprised?  The outdated and ultra-complex US Tax Code, 100 years in the making, is a dinosaur in the 21st century.  As a result, a few hundred or perhaps thousands of wealthy Americans along with their corrupt tax advisors go through the most amazing hoop of all---they put themselves and their family at risk of criminal prosecution just to save some income tax dollars each year by illegally keeping assets and earnings off shore.  Come on America’s top wealthy taxpayers who have their money offshore---there is always a legal work around that will save you taxes and help America, the country that made it possible for you to make all that money.  Why not put your money to work here in the United States and start a Family LLC.  Start to purchase commercial real estate and put your kids to work in the family business.  Start a Family Limited Liability Company.  The Family LLC will save you taxes but more importantly will keep the family, your family, together and committed to stay together for many years to come.  

According to the Wall Street Journal, “Wealthy families are increasingly turning to family limited liability companies to minimize taxes and transfer assets between generations.” The WSJ goes on to say that the “strategy helps provide hands-on investment education for the younger generation without forcing older family members to cede control.”

Here is how the Family LLC works:  The easy workaround for The Parents or Grandparents with net assets less than $10 Million is to gift the bulk of their assets to younger generations  You do this by gifting membership interests in the Family LLC to your kids or grandchildren.  However, the Grandparents retain management control as managing members.  I then customize the operating agreements to match each client’s unique family, business and long range financial goals.  For one family the purpose of the Family LLC might be to promote unity within the family, organize and protect the assets of the family from harm including creditors, and as a very distant third purpose to reduce income and future estate taxes.

But I might give another client a totally different operating agreement which requires ownership to be between grandparents and their children and their children’s children.  No wives or husbands that should enter into the family through marriage and certainly no outsiders including cousins, uncles and aunts.  This structure would be best suited for grandparents who have an absolute fear that divorce will lead to a breakup of a profitable successful and well known family business operation.  This operating agreement may void ownership of any family member who triggers a life event like divorce, bankruptcy or a felony convention.  

For clients of mine with net assets over the $10 Million exemption we would have operating agreements focusing on the reason for discounting memberships to the children. Best practice allows for discounts in the 20% range--and sometimes even up to 30%--primarily because the children cannot sell their interests as per the custom operating agreement. But another reason worth arguing before the IRS is that typically in these cases the children would have minority interests of less than 20% with no management control making their interests worth less even if they could sell.

So for example if a family has a family business with a net worth of $20 Million, a 20% discount would allow for a $16 Million dollar valuation.  From that I would recommend a $10 Million dollar gift to the children and grandchildren with the remaining $6 Million still in the membership of the Grandparents.  A good tax strategy at that point would be to perhaps leverage the $6 Million to purchase a few more commercial rental properties or perhaps a hotel or a fast food franchise.  Creating divisions within the family business allows for children and grandchildren to actually work in these businesses as well as own them.

When all is said and done, if the Family LLC is good for your family, the Family LLC is good for America.  My view is that American family business is the backbone of our great nation.   If the Family LLC keeps your family business strong, the Family LLC will keep America strong.  Ask your tax professional to consider whether   you should setup and operate a Family LLC not only to help your family, but to help America.

See you next month and God bless America.
Kindest regards Chris Moss CPA