

What is “Assignment of Income” Under the Tax Law?
Gross income is taxed to the individual who earns it or to owner of property that generates the income. Under the so-called “assignment of income doctrine,” a taxpayer may not avoid tax by assigning the right to income to another.
Specifically, the assignment of income doctrine holds that a taxpayer who earns income from services that the taxpayer performs or property that the taxpayer owns generally cannot avoid liability for tax on that income by assigning it to another person or entity. The doctrine is frequently applied to assignments to creditors, controlled entities, family trusts and charities.
A taxpayer cannot, for tax purposes, assign income that has already accrued from property the taxpayer owns. This aspect of the assignment of income doctrine is often applied to interest, dividends, rents, royalties, and trust income. And, under the same rationale, an assignment of an interest in a lottery ticket is effective only if it occurs before the ticket is ascertained to be a winning ticket.
However, a taxpayer can shift liability for capital gains on property not yet sold by making a bona fide gift of the underlying property. In that case, the donee of a gift of securities takes the “carryover” basis of the donor.
For example, shares now valued at $50 gifted to a donee in which the donor has a tax basis of $10, would yield a taxable gain to the donee of its eventual sale price less the $10 carryover basis. The donor escapes income tax on any of the appreciation.
For guidance on this issue, please contact our professionals at 315.242.1120 or [email protected] .
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Recognizing when the IRS can reallocate income
- C Corporation Income Taxation
- IRS Practice & Procedure
Transactions between related parties come under close scrutiny by the IRS because they are not always conducted at arm's length. If the amounts involved in the transaction do not represent fair market values, the IRS can change the characteristics of the transaction to reflect its actual nature.
The IRS may attempt to reallocate income between a closely held corporation and its shareholders based on several sets of rules, including the following:
- Assignment-of-income rules that have been developed through the courts;
- The allocation-of-income theory of Sec. 482; and
- The rules for allocation of income between a personal service corporation and its employee-owners of Sec. 269A.
Income reallocation under the assignment - of - income doctrine is dependent on determining who earns or controls the income. Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes made the classic statement of the assignment - of - income doctrine when he stated that the Supreme Court would not recognize for income tax purposes an "arrangement by which the fruits are attributed to a different tree from that on which they grew" ( Lucas v. Earl , 281 U.S. 111, 115 (1930)).
Reallocation under Sec. 482 is used to prevent tax evasion or to more clearly reflect income when two or more entities are controlled by the same interests. Note the use of the word "or" in the preceding sentence. The Code empowers the IRS to allocate income even if tax evasion is not present if the allocation will more clearly reflect the income of the controlled interests. The intent of these provisions is to place the controlled entity in the same position as if it were not controlled so that the income of the controlled entity is clearly reflected (Regs. Sec. 1. 482 - 1 (a)) .
Example 1. Performing services for another group member: Corporations P and S are members of the same controlled group. S asks P to have its financial staff perform an analysis to determine S' s borrowing needs. P does not charge S for this service. Under Sec. 482, the IRS could adjust each corporation's taxable income to reflect an arm's - length charge by P for the services it provided to S .
Under Sec. 269A(a), the IRS has the authority to allocate income, deductions, credits, exclusions, and other items between a personal service corporation (PSC) and its employee - owners if:
- The PSC performs substantially all of its services for or on behalf of another corporation, partnership, or other entity; and
- The PSC was formed or used for the principal purpose of avoiding or evading federal income tax by reducing the income or securing the benefit of any expense, deduction, credit, exclusion, or other item for any employee-owner that would not otherwise be available.
A PSC will not be considered to have been formed or availed of for the principal purpose of avoiding or evading federal income taxes if a safe harbor is met. The safe harbor applies if the employee - owner's federal income tax liability is not reduced by more than the lesser of (1) $2,500 or (2) 10% of the federal income tax liability of the employee - owner that would have resulted if the employee - owner personally performed the services (Prop. Regs. Sec. 1. 269A - 1 (c)).
For purposes of this rule, a PSC is a corporation, the principal activity of which is the performance of personal services when those services are substantially performed by employee - owners (Sec. 269A(b)(1)). An employee - owner is any employee who owns on any day during the tax year more than 10% of the PSC's outstanding stock. As with many related - party provisions, the Sec. 318 stock attribution rules (with modifications) apply in determining stock ownership (Sec. 269A(b)(2)).
Example 2. Reallocation of income: H forms M Corp., which is a PSC. A few months later, he transfers shares of stock of an unrelated corporation to M . The following year, M receives dividends from the unrelated corporation and claims the Sec. 243(a) 50% dividend exclusion. The IRS may reallocate the dividend income from M to H if the principal purpose of the transfer of the unrelated stock to M was to use the 50% dividend exclusion under Sec. 243. However, the amounts to reallocate to H must exceed the safe - harbor amounts.
These rules usually apply when an individual performs personal services for an employer that does not offer tax - advantaged employee benefits (such as a qualified retirement plan and other employee fringe benefits). In those situations, the individual may set up a 100%- owned C corporation that contracts with the employer. The employer then pays the corporation. The individual functions as the employee of the corporation, and the corporation sets up tax - advantaged fringe benefit programs. The individual generally is able to "zero out" the income of the corporation with payments for salary and fringe benefits.
Despite the significant authority that Sec. 269A grants to the IRS, there is little evidence of the IRS or the courts using this statute. In a 1987 private letter ruling, the IRS held that a one - owner , one - employee medical corporation did not violate the statute, even though it retained only nominal amounts of taxable income, and the corporate structure allowed the individual to achieve a significant pension plan deduction. These facts were not sufficient to establish a principal purpose of tax avoidance (IRS Letter Ruling 8737001). In Sargent , 929 F.2d 1252 (8th Cir. 1991), the Eighth Circuit indicated a lack of interest in applying Sec. 269A because, in that case, the court felt the PSC had been set up for other legitimate reasons.
This case study has been adapted from PPC's Tax Planning Guide — Closely Held Corporations , 31st Edition (March 2018), by Albert L. Grasso, R. Barry Johnson, and Lewis A. Siegel. Published by Thomson Reuters/Tax & Accounting, Carrollton, Texas, 2018 (800-431-9025; tax.thomsonreuters.com ).
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Section 1202 Planning: When Might the Assignment of Income Doctrine Apply to a Gift of QSBS?

Jan 26, 2022
Categories:
Blogs Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) Tax Law Defined™ Blog
Scott W. Dolson
Section 1202 allows taxpayers to exclude gain on the sale of QSBS if all eligibility requirements are met. Section 1202 also places a cap on the amount of gain that a stockholder is entitled to exclude with respect to a single issuer’s stock. [i] A taxpayer has at least a $10 million per-issuer gain exclusion, but some taxpayer’s expected gain exceeds that cap. In our article Maximizing the Section 1202 Gain Exclusion Amount , we discussed planning techniques for increasing, and in some cases multiplying, the $10 million gain exclusion cap through gifting QSBS to other taxpayers. [ii] Increased awareness of this planning technique has contributed to a flurry of stockholders seeking last-minute tax planning help. This article looks at whether you can “multiply” Section 1202’s gain exclusion by gifting qualified small business stock (QSBS) when a sale transaction is imminent.
This is one in a series of articles and blogs addressing planning issues relating to QSBS and the workings of Sections 1202 and 1045. During the past several years, there has been an increase in the use of C corporations as the start-up entity of choice. Much of this interest can be attributed to the reduction in the corporate rate from 35% to 21%, but savvy founders and investors have also focused on qualifying for Section 1202’s generous gain exclusion. Recently proposed tax legislation sought to curb Section 1202’s benefits, but that legislation, along with the balance of President Biden’s Build Back Better bill, is currently stalled in Congress.
The Benefits of Gifting QSBS
Section 1202(h)(1) provides that if a stockholder gifts QSBS, the recipient of the gift is treated as “(A) having acquired such stock in the same manner as the transferor, and (B) having held such stock during any continuous period immediately preceding the transfer during which it was held (or treated as held under this subsection by the transferor.” This statute literally allows a holder of $100 million of QSBS to gift $10 million worth to each of nine friends, with the result that the holder and his nine friends each having the right to claim a separate $10 million gain exclusion. Under Section 1202, a taxpayer with $20 million in expected gain upon the sale of founder QSBS can increase the overall tax savings from approximately $2.4 million (based on no Federal income tax on $10 million of QSBS gain) to $4.8 million (based on no Federal income tax on $20 million of QSBS gain) by gifting $10 million worth of QSBS to friends and family. [iii]
A reasonable question to ask is whether it is ever too late to make a gift of QSBS for wealth transfer or Section 1202 gain exclusion cap planning? What about when a sale process is looming but hasn’t yet commenced? Is it too late to make a gift when a nonbinding letter of intent to sell the company has been signed? What about the situation where a binding agreement has been signed but there are various closing conditions remaining to be satisfied, perhaps including shareholder approval? Finally, is it too late to make a gift when a definitive agreement has been signed and all material conditions to closing have been satisfied?
Although neither Section 1202 nor any other tax authorities interpreting Section 1202 address whether there are any exceptions to Section 1202’s favorable treatment of gifts based on the timing of the gift, the IRS is not without potential weapons in its arsenal.
Application of the Assignment of Income Doctrine
If QSBS is gifted in close proximity to a sale, the IRS might claim that the donor stockholder was making an anticipatory assignment of income. [iv]
As first enunciated by the Supreme Court in 1930, the anticipatory assignment of income doctrine holds that income is taxable to the person who earns it, and that such taxes cannot be avoided through “arrangement[s] by which the fruits are attributed to a different tree from that on which they grew.” [v] Many assignment of income cases involve stock gifted to charities immediately before a prearranged stock sale, coupled with the donor claiming a charitable deduction for full fair market value of the gifted stock.
In Revenue Ruling 78-197, the IRS concluded in the context of a charitable contribution coupled with a prearranged redemption that the assignment of income doctrine would apply only if the donee is legally bound, or can be compelled by the corporation, to surrender shares for redemption. [vi] In the aftermath of this ruling, the Tax Court has refused to adopt a bright line test but has generally followed the ruling’s reasoning. For example, in Estate of Applestein v. Commissioner , the taxpayer gifted to custodial accounts for his children stock in a corporation that had entered into a merger agreement with another corporation. Prior to the gift, the merger agreement was approved by the stockholders of both corporations. Although the gift occurred before the closing of the merger transaction, the Tax Court held that the “right to the merger proceeds had virtually ripened prior to the transfer and that the transfer of the stock constituted a transfer of the merger proceeds rather than an interest in a viable corporation.” [vii] In contrast, in Rauenhorst v. Commissioner , the Tax Court concluded that a nonbinding letter of intent would not support the IRS’ assignment of income argument because the stockholder at the time of making the gift was not legally bound nor compelled to sell his equity. [viii]
In Ferguson v. Commissioner , the Tax Court focused on whether the percentage of shares tendered pursuant to a tender offer was the functional equivalent of stockholder approval of a merger transaction, which the court viewed as converting an interest in a viable corporation to the right to receive cash before the gifting of stock to charities. [ix] The Tax Court concluded that there was an anticipatory assignment of income in spite of the fact that there remained certain contingencies before the sale would be finalized. The Tax Court rejected the taxpayer’s argument that the application of the assignment of income doctrine should be conditioned on the occurrence of a formal stockholder vote, noting that the reality and substance of the particular events under consideration should determine tax consequences.
Guidelines for Last-Minute Gifts
Based on the guidelines established by Revenue Ruling 78-197 and the cases discussed above, the IRS should be unsuccessful if it asserts an assignment of income argument in a situation where the gift of QSBS is made prior to the signing of a definitive sale agreement, even if the company has entered into a nonbinding letter of intent. The IRS’ position should further weakened with the passage of time between the making of a gift and the entering into of a definitive sale agreement. In contrast, the IRS should have a stronger argument if the gift is made after the company enters into a binding sale agreement. And the IRS’ position should be stronger still if the gift of QSBS is made after satisfaction of most or all material closing conditions, and in particular after stockholder approval. Stockholders should be mindful of Tax Court’s comment that the reality and substance of events determines tax consequences, and that it will often be a nuanced set of facts that ultimately determines whether the IRS would be successful arguing for application of the assignment of income doctrine.
Transfers of QSBS Incident to Divorce
The general guidelines discussed above may not apply to transfers of QSBS between former spouses “incident to divorce” that are governed by Section 1041. Section 1041(b)(1) confirms that a transfer incident to divorce will be treated as a gift for Section 1202 purposes. Private Letter Ruling 9046004 addressed the situation where stock was transferred incident to a divorce and the corporation immediately redeemed the stock. In that ruling, the IRS commented that “under section 1041, Congress gave taxpayers a mechanism for determining which of the two spouses will pay the tax upon the ultimate disposition of the asset. The spouses are thus free to negotiate between themselves whether the ‘owner’ spouse will first sell the asset, recognize the gain or loss, and then transfer to the transferee spouse the proceeds from the sale, or whether the owner spouse will first transfer the asset to the transferee spouse who will then recognize gain or loss upon its subsequent sale.” Thus, while there are some tax cases where the assignment of income doctrine has been successfully asserted by the IRS in connection with transfers between spouses incident to divorce, Section 1041 and tax authorities interpreting its application do provide divorcing taxpayers an additional argument against application of the doctrine, perhaps even where the end result might be a multiplication of Section 1202’s gain exclusion.
More Resources
In spite of the potential for extraordinary tax savings, many experienced tax advisors are not familiar with QSBS planning. Venture capitalists, founders and investors who want to learn more about QSBS planning opportunities are directed to several articles on the Frost Brown Todd website:
- Planning for the Potential Reduction in Section 1202’s Gain Exclusion
- Section 1202 Qualification Checklist and Planning Pointers
- A Roadmap for Obtaining (and not Losing) the Benefits of Section 1202 Stock
- Maximizing the Section 1202 Gain Exclusion Amount
- Advanced Section 1045 Planning
- Recapitalizations Involving Qualified Small Business Stock
- Section 1202 and S Corporations
- The 21% Corporate Rate Breathes New Life into IRC § 1202
- View all QSBS Resources
Contact Scott Dolson or Melanie McCoy (QSBS estate and trust planning) if you want to discuss any QSBS issues by telephone or video conference.
[i] References to “Section” are to sections of the Internal Revenue Code.
[ii] The planning technique of gifting QSBS recently came under heavy criticism in an article written by two investigative reporters. See Jesse Drucker and Maureen Farrell, The Peanut Butter Secret: A Lavish Tax Dodge for the Ultrawealthy. New York Times , December 28, 2021.
[iii] But in our opinion, in order to avoid a definite grey area in Section 1202 law, the donee should not be the stockholder’s spouse. The universe of donees includes nongrantor trusts, including Delaware and Nevada asset protection trusts.
[iv] This article assumes that the holder of the stock doesn’t have sufficient tax basis in the QSBS to take advantage of the 10X gain exclusion cap – for example, the stock might be founder shares with a basis of .0001 per share.
[v] Lucas v. Earl , 281 U.S. 111 (1930). The US Supreme Court later summarized the assignment of income doctrine as follows: “A person cannot escape taxation by anticipatory assignments, however skillfully devised, where the right to receive income has vested.” Harrison v. Schaffner , 312 U.S. 579, 582 (1941).
[vi] Revenue Ruling 78-197, 1978-1 CB 83.
[vii] Estate of Applestein v. Commissioner , 80 T.C. 331, 346 (1983).
[viii] Gerald A. Rauenhorst v. Commissioner , 119 T.C. 157 (2002).
[ix] Ferguson v. Commissioner , 108 T.C. 244 (1997).
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FAQ: What Is the Assignment of Income?
Assignment of income allows you to assign part of your income directly to another person. While there are several valid reasons to assign your income to someone else, many taxpayers mistakenly believe that it can help lower their taxable income. While assignment of income allows you to divert income, you cannot divert taxes.
In this article, we’ll provide some examples of failed attempts at avoiding income taxes through the assignment of income and the valid reasons someone might want to assign income to someone else.
RELATED: Tax Evasion Vs. Tax Avoidance: The Difference and Why It Matters
You Can’t Use Assignment of Income to Avoid Paying Taxes
The assignment of income doctrine states that the taxpayer who earns the income must pay the tax on that income, even if he gave the right to collect the income to another person.
The doctrine is quite clear: taxpayers must pay their own taxes. However, that doesn’t stop many people from thinking they can avoid paying taxes or minimize their taxable income through the assignment of income.
Here are a few scenarios we commonly see.
- High-Earning Individuals: In an attempt to avoid having to pay the higher tax rates on their substantial income, high-earning individuals sometimes try to divert income to a lower-income family member in a significantly lower tax bracket. The assignment of income doctrine prevents this scheme from working.
- Charitable Donating : Even if a taxpayer assigns part of their income to a charitable organization, they will still have to pay the taxes. However, they might be eligible to claim a deduction for donations to charity while building some good karma by helping others in need.
- Owning Multiple Businesses: A taxpayer who controls multiple businesses might try to divert income from one business to another, especially if one has the potential to receive a tax benefit but requires a higher income to do so. Not only is this illegal, but it also will not lower the taxable income of the business.
You Can Use Assignment of Income to… Assign Your Income
The assignment of income doctrine does not stop you from diverting part of your income to someone else. In fact, that’s the whole point! Maybe you’re helping to support an elderly family member, or you consistently donate to the same charity every month or year. Whatever the case, you can assign the desired amount of your income to go to another person or organization.
While there are no tax benefits involved in assigning income versus making traditional payments or donations, it can be a more convenient option if you’re making regular payments throughout the year.
S.H. Block Tax Services Provides Clear Answers For Complicated Questions
If you have any questions about how to go about assigning part of your income to a family member in need or a separate business entity, please contact S.H. Block Tax Services today. We can answer all of your questions and address all of your concerns regarding the assignment of income and provide suggestions on valid and legal ways to save on your taxes.
Please call us today at 410-793-1231 or complete this brief contact form to get started on the path toward tax compliance and financial freedom.
The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject.
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The Easy Credit Company reports the following table representing a breakdown of customers according to the amount they owe and whether a cash advance has been made. An auditor randomly selects one of the accounts.
Cash Advance? Amounts owed by customers Yes No $ 0 − 199.99 245 2 , 890 $ 200 − 399.99 380 1 , 700 $ 400 − 599.99 500 1 , 425 $ 600 − 799.99 415 940 $ 800 − 999.99 260 480 $ 1 , 000 or more 290 475 Total Customers 2 , 090 7 , 910 \begin{aligned} &\text { Cash Advance? }\\ &\begin{array}{|l|c|c|} \hline \text { Amounts owed by customers } & \text { Yes } & \text { No } \\ \hline \$ 0-199.99 & 245 & 2,890 \\ \hline \$ 200-399.99 & 380 & 1,700 \\ \hline \$ 400-599.99 & 500 & 1,425 \\ \hline \$ 600-799.99 & 415 & 940 \\ \hline \$ 800-999.99 & 260 & 480 \\ \hline \$ 1,000 \text { or more } & 290 & 475 \\ \hline \text { Total Customers } & 2,090 & 7,910 \\ \hline \end{array} \end{aligned} Cash Advance? Amounts owed by customers $0 − 199.99 $200 − 399.99 $400 − 599.99 $600 − 799.99 $800 − 999.99 $1 , 000 or more Total Customers Yes 245 380 500 415 260 290 2 , 090 No 2 , 890 1 , 700 1 , 425 940 480 475 7 , 910
c. What is the probability that a customer owed less than $ 200 \$ 200 $200 or received a cash advance?
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The adjusted trial balance for Superior Corporation for the year ended December 31 of the current year is given in the Working Papers. The beginning merchandise inventory amount is $ 86 , 789.15 \$86,789.15 $86 , 789.15 . Prepare a vertical analysis of each amount in the fourth amount column. Round calculations to the nearest 0.1 % 0.1\% 0.1% .
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a. State laws. b. The OSHA standards. c. Section 11(c) of the OSH Act. d. The General Duty Clause.
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Assignment of Income Doctrine – Section 61 Internal Revenue Code – J. Ronald Jackson
I don’t want to pay tax on this income, assignment of income doctrine.
By: J Ronald “Ron” Jackson, MBA, CPA
Under federal income tax law gross income is taxed to the person who earns it or to the owner of property that generates the income. It is not uncommon for a high tax bracket taxpayer to want to shift income to a lower tax bracket family member in order to save on taxes and the income stay within the family unit. Alternatively, one who has appreciated stock or other type of property that he knows will be sold in the near future may wish to save on income taxes by gifting a portion of the property to a lower tax bracket family member who will report the sale at his or her lower income tax bracket. Alternatively, the individual may want a double benefit by gifting the appreciated property to a qualified charity thereby gaining a charitable income tax deduction for the value of the contributed property and being relieved of paying income taxes on the gain from the sale of the gifted property. This shifting of income, if permitted for income tax purposes, may provide considerable income tax savings.
The assignment of income doctrine was developed from court decisions which decided the issues, including the various methods employed in attempting to determine who earned the income. There was a time during the World War II years and thereafter, until around 1963, that the top income tax brackets could be as high as 91% – 93%. In addition to family members, the issues often arose when a high bracket taxpayer would make a gift of property (often the issues were gifts of appreciated stock that were to be sold shortly) to a qualified charity. The taxpayer would then take a charitable income tax deduction and not report the gain as he no longer owned the stock when sold. This shifting of income to a lower bracket taxpayer could have large savings in taxes for the high bracket taxpayer.
A simple example of income earned and taxed to the one who earns the income is when one works for weekly wages. The work week ends on Friday but the actual paycheck is not delivered until the following Wednesday. The wages are earned, for income tax purposes, at the end of the week (Friday). If the individual tells his employer to pay the earned wages to the individual’s mother, and the employer did that, the wages would still be taxed for federal income tax purposes to the individual since he earned the wages. The fact he may have made a gift of his earned wages does not change the income tax treatment as his employer has to include the earned wages on the individual’s W-2 form.
The above is a simple illustration of the doctrine that one who earns the income has to pay income tax on the wages. Let’s look at another situation. Suppose Perry, an individual taxpayer, owns all of the stock ownership in a very successful corporation (Company A) that he has run for many years. Perry is approached by the owners of another corporation (Company B) with an interest in purchasing Perry’s stock ownership in Company A. Negotiations have progressed and a total value has been tentatively negotiated of $5,000,000.00. The actual contract is still to be finalized and there are some remaining details to settle. Perry believes it will be finalized and signed within a reasonably short time. Perry, who is in a very high federal income tax bracket and who is a very civic-minded individual, has been told of the benefit of donating appreciated property to charity. Perry contacts the local Community Foundation and arranges to create the Perry Charitable Fund through the Community Foundation. The charitable fund will provide donations to his church and to other qualified charities that Perry usually supports. Perry then donates fifteen percent of his stock ownership, valued at $750,000.00 to the Community Foundation. Later after negotiations are completed, all of Company A’s stock is sold to Company B for the negotiated price of $5,000,000.00. Perry is happy. He has made a substantial profit from his years of work, made a donation to his favorite charity for which he plans to take a charitable income tax deduction, and will only have to report and pay income tax at capital gain rates on 85% of his stock as he has given 15% away.
Perry files his income tax return for the year and reports his taxable gain on the sale of his 85% ownership interest in Company A. About one year later Perry is audited by the IRS. The IRS agent questions why he did not report gain on the 15% of stock given to the Foundation. Perry replies that he did not own the stock as it was gifted to the charity before the date of the sale. The IRS auditor states that Perry should pay income tax on the gain on the stock given to the Community Foundation since it appears to have been a “done deal” before Perry gave the stock away and for that reason Perry owes income tax on all of the stock. Perry argues that no contracts were signed until weeks after the gift and that the deal could have fallen through at any time before signed by all parties. Perry disagreed with the audit. His tax dispute is now pending before the United States Tax Court. How will the court decide?
Section 61 of the Internal Revenue Code provides that gross income means all income earned from whatever source derived, and then lists several examples such as wages, services rendered, gains from the sales of property, and several other examples. In 1930, the U. S. Supreme Court summarized when addressing who earned income that “The fruits cannot be attributed to a different tree from that on which they grew.” Lucas v. Earl, 281 U.S. 111 (1930). This in effect clarified that gross income is to be taxed to the one that earns it and led to the fact that one cannot avoid paying income tax on earned income by gifting the property that created the income when it has been earned on or before the gift. An example would be when a corporation declares a dividend payable say on November 1st to stockholders of record on October 10th. A stockholder who owned the stock on October 10th is the one who has earned the income even if he or she sells or assigns their stock between October 10th and November 1st. The dividend is taxed to the owner on October 10, the date the dividend was declared.
In Perry’s case he argues that the negotiations were not complete when he made his gift, and that Company B could have backed out of the deal. When the court decides it will consider the stage of the negotiations, whether Company B had the financial backing to complete the deal, whether any contracts or preliminary statements of intent were prepared for review, and how long was the interval between the tentative agreement and the actual sale will all be considered. Situations like these happen from time to time. When the issue arises, it should be discussed in advance of the transaction, if possible, with your legal tax advisors who should be well versed in this area of tax law. One should be aware of the assignment of income doctrine in situations where it could apply in connection with his/her estate planning. What if this had been a publicly traded company?
If you have questions regarding Assignment of Income Doctrine and would like to discuss these issues, please contact Cody Walls, MBA, CPA at Denton Law Firm at 270-450-8253.
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FAQ: What is “assignment of income” under the tax law?

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Gross income is taxed to the individual who earns it or to owner of property that generates the income. Under the so-called “assignment of income doctrine,” a taxpayer may not avoid tax by assigning the right to income to another.
Specifically, the assignment of income doctrine holds that a taxpayer who earns income from services that the taxpayer performs or property that the taxpayer owns generally cannot avoid liability for tax on that income by assigning it to another person or entity. The doctrine is frequently applied to assignments to creditors, controlled entities, family trusts and charities.
A taxpayer cannot, for tax purposes, assign income that has already accrued from property the taxpayer owns. This aspect of the assignment of income doctrine is often applied to interest, dividends, rents, royalties, and trust income. And, under the same rationale, an assignment of an interest in a lottery ticket is effective only if it occurs before the ticket is ascertained to be a winning ticket.
However, a taxpayer can shift liability for capital gains on property not yet sold by making a bona fide gift of the underlying property. In that case, the donee of a gift of securities takes the “carryover” basis of the donor. For example, shares now valued at $50 gifted to a donee in which the donor has a tax basis of $10, would yield a taxable gain to the donee of its eventual sale price less the $10 carryover basis. The donor escapes income tax on any of the appreciation.
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- TAX MATTERS
Appreciated stock donation not treated as a taxable redemption
The tax court holds that taxpayers made an absolute gift..
- Individual Income Taxation
The Tax Court granted summary judgment to a married couple, ruling that the IRS improperly recharacterized their charitable donations of stock as taxable redemptions. The court held the couple made an absolute gift in each tax year at issue, and although the charity soon after redeemed the stock, the court respected the form of the transaction.
Facts: Jon and Helen Dickinson claimed a charitable contribution deduction on their joint federal income tax returns for 2013 through 2015, due to a contribution each year by Jon Dickinson of appreciated stock in his employer, Geosyntec Consultants Inc. (GCI), a privately held company, to Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund, a Sec. 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Dickinson was GCI’s CFO.
GCI’s board of directors authorized shareholders to donate GCI shares to Fidelity in written consent actions in 2013 and 2014, stating that Fidelity’s donor-advised fund program required Fidelity “to immediately liquidate the donated stock” and that the charity “promptly tenders the donated stock to the issuer for cash.” The board also authorized donations in 2015.
GCI confirmed in letters to Fidelity the recording of Fidelity’s new ownership of the shares. Dickinson signed a letter of understanding to Fidelity regarding each stock donation, stating that the stock was “exclusively owned and controlled by Fidelity.” Fidelity sent confirmation letters stating that it had “exclusive legal control over the contributed asset.” Fidelity redeemed the GCI shares for cash shortly after each donation.
The IRS issued a notice of deficiency, asserting that the Dickinsons were liable for tax on the redemption of the donated GCI shares and a penalty under Sec. 6662(a) for each year. The Service contended the donations should be treated in substance as taxable redemptions of the shares for cash by Dickinson, followed by donations of the cash to Fidelity.
The Dickinsons petitioned the Tax Court for a redetermination of the deficiencies and penalties and moved for summary judgment.
Issue: Generally, pursuant to Sec. 170 and Regs. Sec. 1.170A-1(c)(1), a taxpayer may deduct the fair market value of appreciated property donated to a qualified charity without recognizing the gain in the property.
In Humacid Co. , 42 T.C. 894, 913 (1964), the Tax Court stated: “The law with respect to gifts of appreciated property is well established. A gift of appreciated property does not result in income to the donor so long as [1] he gives the property away absolutely and parts with title thereto [2] before the property gives rise to income by way of a sale.”
The issue before the court was whether the form of Dickinson’s donations of GCI stock should be respected as meeting the requirements in Humacid Co. , or recharacterized as taxable redemptions resulting in income to the Dickinsons.
Holding: The Tax Court held that the form of the stock donations should be respected, as both prongs of Humacid Co. were satisfied, and granted the taxpayers summary judgment.
Regarding the first prong, the court held that Dickinson transferred all his rights in the shares to Fidelity, based on GCI’s letters to Fidelity confirming the transfer of ownership in the shares, Fidelity’s letters to the Dickinsons stating it had “exclusive legal control” over the donated stock, and the letters of understanding. Thus, Dickinson made an absolute gift.
The Tax Court analyzed the second prong under the assignment-of-income doctrine. This provides that a taxpayer cannot avoid taxation by assigning a right to income to another. The court stated: “Where a donee redeems shares shortly after a donation, the assignment of income doctrine applies only if the redemption was practically certain to occur at the time of the gift, and would have occurred whether the shareholder made the gift or not.”
The Tax Court noted that in Palmer , 62 T.C. 684 (1974), it held there was no assignment of income where there was not yet a vote for a redemption at the time of a stock donation, even though the vote was anticipated. Similarly, the court reasoned that “the redemption in this case was not a fait accompli at the time of the gift” and held Dickinson did not avoid income due to the redemption by donating the GCI shares. Thus, the court respected the form of the transaction.
The Tax Court did not apply Rev. Rul. 78-197, in which the IRS ruled that it “will treat the proceeds as income to the donor under facts similar to those in the Palmer decision only if the donee is legally bound, or can be compelled by the [issuing] corporation, to surrender the shares for redemption.” The court noted that it has not adopted the revenue ruling, and furthermore, the IRS did not allege that Dickinson had a fixed right to redemption income at the time of the donation.
- Dickinson , T.C. Memo. 2020-128
— By Mark Aquilio, CPA, J.D., LL.M. , professor of accounting and taxation, St. John’s University, Queens, N.Y.
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Tax Law on “Assignment of Income”
Gross income is taxed to the individual who earns it or to an owner of property that generates the income. Under the so-called “assignment of income doctrine,” a taxpayer may not avoid tax by assigning the right to income to another. Specifically, the assignment of income doctrine holds that a taxpayer who earns income from services that the taxpayer performs or property that the taxpayer owns generally cannot avoid liability for tax on that income by assigning it to another person or entity. The doctrine is frequently applied to assignments to creditors, controlled entities, family trusts and charities.
A taxpayer cannot, for tax purposes, assign income that has already accrued from property the taxpayer owns. This aspect of the assignment of income doctrine is often applied to interest, dividends, rents, royalties, and trust income. And, under the same rationale, an assignment of an interest in a lottery ticket is effective only if it occurs before the ticket is ascertained to be a winning ticket. However, a taxpayer can shift liability for capital gains on property not yet sold by making a bona fide gift of the underlying property. In that case, the donee of a gift of securities takes the “carryover” basis of the donor. For example, shares now valued at $50 gifted to a donee in which the donor has a tax basis of $10, would yield a taxable gain to the donee of its eventual sale price less the $10 carryover basis. The donor escapes income tax on any of the appreciation.
For more information about this article, please contact our tax professionals at [email protected] or toll free at 844.4WINDES (844.494.6337).
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Assignment of Income Lawyers
(This may not be the same place you live)
What Happens if you Assign your Income?
There are some instances when a person may choose to assign a portion of their income to another individual. You may be able to do this by asking your employer to send your paycheck directly to a third party.
It should be noted, however, that if you choose to assign your income to a third party, then this does not mean that you will be able to avoid paying taxes on that income. In other words, you will still be responsible for paying taxes on that income regardless of whether you decide to assign your income to a third party or not. This guideline is known as the “assignment of income doctrine.”
The primary purpose of the “assignment of income doctrine” is to ensure that a person does not simply assign their income to a third party to avoid having to pay taxes. If they do, then they can be charged and convicted of committing tax evasion .
One other important thing to bear in mind about income assignments is that they are often confused with the concept of wage garnishments. However, income or wage assignments are different from wage garnishments. In a situation that involves wage garnishment, a person’s paycheck is involuntarily withheld from them to pay off a debt like outstanding child support payments and is typically ordered by a court.
In contrast, an income or wage assignment is when a person voluntarily agrees to assign their income to someone else through a contract or a similar type of agreement.
How is Assigned Income Taxed?
As previously discussed, a taxpayer will still be required to pay taxes on any income that is assigned to a third party. The person who earns the income is the one who will be responsible for paying taxes on the income, not the person to whom it is assigned. The same rule applies to income that a person receives from property or assets.
For example, if a person earns money through a source of what is considered to be a passive stream of income, such as from stock dividends, the person who owns these assets will be the one responsible for paying taxes on the income they receive from it. The reason for this is because income is generally taxed to the person who owns any income-generating property under the law.
If a person chooses to give away their income-generating property and/or assets as a gift to a family member, then they will no longer be taxed on any income that is earned from those property or assets. This rule will be triggered the moment that the owner has given up their complete control and rights over the property in question.
In order to demonstrate how this might work, consider the following example:
- Instead, the person to whom the apartment building was transferred will now be liable for paying taxes on any income they receive from tenants paying rent to live in the building since they are the new owner.
Are There Any Exceptions?
There is one exception to the rule provided by the assignment of income doctrine and that is when income is assigned in a scenario that involves a principal-agent relationship . For example, if an agent receives income from a third-party that is intended to be paid to the principal, then this income is usually not taxable to the agent. Instead, it will be taxable to the principal in this relationship.
Briefly, an agent is a person who acts on behalf of another (i.e., the principal) in certain situations or in regard to specific transactions. On the other hand, a principal is someone who authorizes another person (i.e., the agent) to act on their behalf and represent their interests under particular circumstances.
For example, imagine a sales representative that is employed by a large corporation. When the sales representative sells the corporation’s product or service to a customer, they will receive money from the customer in exchange for that service or product. Although the sales representative is the one being paid in the transaction, the money actually belongs to the corporation. Thus, it is the corporation who would be liable for paying taxes on the income.
In other words, despite the fact that this income may appear to have been earned by the corporation’s agent (i.e., the sales representation in this scenario), the corporation (i.e., the principal) will still be taxed on the income since the sales representative is acting on behalf of the corporation to generate income for them.
One other exception that may apply here is known as a “kiddie tax.” A kiddie tax is unearned or investment-related income that belongs to a child, but must be paid by the earning child’s parent and at the tax rate assigned to adults (as opposed to children). This is also to help prevent parents from abusing the tax system by using their child’s lower tax rate to shift over assets or earned income and take advantage of their child’s lower tax bracket rate.
So, even though a parent has assigned money or assets to a child that could be considered their earned income, the money will still have to be paid by the parent and taxed at a rate that is reserved for adults. The child will not need to pay any taxes on this earned income until it reaches a certain amount.
Should I Consult with an Attorney?
In general, the tax rules that exist under the assignment of income doctrine can be confusing. There are several exceptions to these rules and many of them require knowing how to properly apply them to the specific facts of each individual case.
Therefore, if you have any questions about taxable income streams or are involved in a dispute over taxable income with the IRS, then it may be in your best interest to contact an accountant or a local tax attorney to provide further guidance on the matter. An experienced tax attorney can help you to avoid incurring extra tax penalties and can assist you in resolving your income tax issue in an efficient manner.
Your attorney will also be able to explain the situation and can recommend various options to settle the assignment of income issue or any related concerns. In addition, your attorney will be able to communicate with the IRS on your behalf and can provide legal representation if you need to appear in court.
Lastly, if you think you are not liable for paying taxes on income that has been assigned to you by someone else, then your lawyer can review the facts of your claim and can find out whether you may be able to avoid having to pay taxes on that income.
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Tax Law for the Closely Held Business
Legal Updates & Commentary for Tax & Estate Planning
Assignment of Income And Charitable Contributions of Closely Held Stock
But i don’t want to pay any taxes.
I was recently speaking to an older client who told me that he was contemplating the sale of a commercial rental property that he has owned for many years. The property was not used in his business, was unencumbered and, for all intents and purposes, his adjusted basis – i.e., his unrecovered investment – for the property was zero. The client was concerned about the amount of gain he would recognize on the sale, and the resulting income tax liability.
The gain would be treated as long-term capital gain, I told him, and neither he nor the property was located in a high-tax state. That didn’t alleviate his concern.
I then suggested that he consider a like-kind exchange, but he wasn’t interested in simply deferring the gain; in any case, he didn’t want another property to manage.
I asked if there was a pressing business reason for disposing of the property. When he asked why that was relevant, I replied that he may want to hold on to the property until he died, leaving the property to the beneficiaries of his estate. The property may be valued more “aggressively” than a liquid asset, I explained, and his beneficiaries would take the property with a basis step-up. “Death solves many problems,” I told him, jokingly. That didn’t go over too well.
Finally, I recalled that the client had a somewhat charitable bent, so I mentioned that he may want to consider a contribution to a public charity or to a charitable remainder trust. That seemed to pique his interest, so I explained the basics.
Then I asked him when he planned to list the property. “I already have a buyer,” he responded. Yes , I thought to myself, death solves many problems . After composing myself, I asked “What do you mean, you have a buyer? Have you agreed to a price? Do you have a contract? Are there any contingencies? . . . ”
“Stop with all the questions” – he interrupted me – “why does any of that matter?”
“Let me tell you about the ‘assignment of income doctrine’,” I replied.
Shortly after the above discussion with the client, I came across the decision described below ; I forwarded a copy to the client, his accountant, and his real estate lawyer.
Sale of a Business
Target was a closely held foreign corporation in which Taxpayer and others owned stock. Buyer (an S corp.) was Target’s principal customer. Virtually all of Buyer’s stock was owned by an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). Taxpayer and other Target shareholders were among the beneficiaries of the ESOP. Target and Buyer were also related through common management, with a majority of each corporation’s board of directors serving as directors for both corporations.
Buyer offered to acquire all of Target’s stock for bona fide business reasons. It was proposed that the stock acquisition would proceed in two steps.
Buyer would first purchase 6,100 Target shares (87% of the outstanding shares) from Taxpayer and the other Target shareholders. The proposed purchase price was $4,500 per share. The consideration to be paid by Buyer for this tranche would consist of cash and interest-bearing promissory notes.
Second Step
The second step involved the remaining 900 shares (13%) of Target’s outstanding stock.
In connection with Buyer’s acquisition of the 6,100 Target shares, Taxpayer agreed to donate 900 Target shares to Charity, an organization that was exempt from Federal income tax under Sec. 501(c)(3) of the Code, and that was treated as a public charity under Sec. 509(a) of the Code. [i] Buyer agreed to purchase each share tendered by Charity for $4,500 in cash.
Taxpayer agreed, after donating their shares to Charity, “to use all reasonable efforts” to cause Charity to tender the 900 shares to Buyer. If Taxpayer failed to persuade Charity to do this, it was expected that Buyer would use a “squeeze-out merger, a reverse stock split or such other action that will result in [Buyer] owning 100% of * * * [Target].” If Buyer failed to secure ownership of Charity’s shares within 60 days of acquiring the 6,100 shares, the entire acquisition would be unwound, and Buyer would return the 6,100 shares to the tendering Target shareholders.
The Appraisal
Because Buyer and Target were related parties, the ESOP – a tax-exempt qualified plan – believed that it was required to secure a fairness opinion to ensure that Buyer paid no more than “adequate consideration” for the Target stock. The ESOP trustee hired Appraiser to provide a fairness opinion supported by a valuation report.
In describing the proposed transaction, Appraiser expressed its understanding that Buyer would acquire 100% of Target’s stock “in two stages.” According to Appraiser, “The first stage” involved “the acquisition of 6,100 shares, or approximately 87.1%, of [Target’s] outstanding ordinary shares,” for cash and promissory notes. “Simultaneously with [Buyer’s] acquisition of the 6,100 shares,” Appraiser stated, “certain of [Target’s] shareholders will transfer 900 shares” to Charity. “The second stage of the [transaction] involves the acquisition of the Charity shares for $4,500 per share.”
Appraiser concluded that the fair market value of Target, “valued on a going concern basis,” was between $4,214 and $4,626 per share. Appraiser submitted its findings to the ESOP trustee in an appraisal report and a fairness opinion. Given the range of value it determined for Target, Appraiser opined that the proposed transaction was fair to the beneficiaries of Buyer’s ESOP.
The Sale and the Donation
Two days after Appraiser’s fairness opinion was issued, Buyer purchased 6,100 shares of Target stock from Taxpayer and the other Target shareholders.
It was unclear when Taxpayer donated their 900 shares to Charity; Taxpayer asserted that the donation occurred almost a week before the fairness opinion, whereas the IRS contended that it occurred no earlier than the day of the fairness opinion, allegedly after Charity had unconditionally agreed to sell the 900 shares to Buyer.
Both parties agreed that Charity formally tendered its 900 shares to Buyer on the same day on which the other Target shareholders tendered their shares. And the parties also agreed that Charity received the same per-share price that the other Target shareholders received, but that Charity was paid entirely in cash.
Off to Court
Taxpayer filed Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, for the year of the sale, and claimed a noncash charitable contribution deduction for the stock donated to Charity.
The IRS examined Taxpayer’s return and subsequently issued a notice of deficiency to Taxpayer determining that they were liable for tax under the “anticipatory assignment of income doctrine” on their transfer of shares to Charity; in other words, Taxpayer should have reported the gain from the sale of the 900 shares to Buyer and should be treated as having contributed to Charity the cash received in exchange for such shares.
Taxpayer timely petitioned the U.S. Tax Court for redetermination, and asked for summary judgement on the IRS’s application of the assignment of income doctrine to their donation of Target stock to Charity.
Assignment of Income
A longstanding principle of tax law is that income is taxed to the person who earns it. A taxpayer who is anticipating the receipt of income “cannot avoid taxation by entering into a contractual arrangement whereby that income is diverted to some other person.”
The Court noted that it had previously considered the assignment of income doctrine as it applied to charitable contributions. In the typical scenario, the Court explained, the taxpayer donates to a public charity stock that is about to be acquired by the issuing corporation through a redemption, or by another corporation through a merger or other form of acquisition.
In doing so, the taxpayer seeks to obtain a charitable deduction in an amount equal to the fair market value of the stock contributed, while avoiding recognition of the gain, and liability for the tax, resulting from the subsequent sale of the stock. The tax-exempt charity ends up with the proceeds from the sale, undiminished by taxes.
In determining whether the donating taxpayer has assigned income in these circumstances, one relevant question is whether the prospective sale of the donated stock is a mere expectation or a virtual certainty. “More than expectation or anticipation of income is required before the assignment of income doctrine applies,” the Court stated.
Another relevant question, the Court continued, is whether the charity is obligated, or can be compelled by one of the parties to the transaction, to surrender the donated shares to the acquirer.
Thus, the existence of an “understanding” among the parties, or the fact that the contribution and sale transactions occur simultaneously or according to prearranged steps, may be relevant in answering that question.
For example, a court will likely find there has been an assignment of income where stock was donated after a tender offer has effectively been completed and it is “most unlikely” that the offer would be rejected, or where stock is donated after the other shareholders have voted and taken steps to liquidate a corporation.
In contrast, there is probably no assignment of income where stock is transferred to a charity before the issuing corporation’s board has voted to redeem it. [ii]
No Summary Judgement
Based on the facts presented, the Court concluded that there existed genuine disputes of material fact that prevented the Court from summarily resolving the assignment of income issue.
Target and Buyer were related by common management, the interests of both companies seemed to have been aligned, and both apparently desired that the stock acquisition be completed. If so, these facts supported the conclusion that the acquisition was virtually certain to occur. In turn, this evidence would support the IRS’s contention that Charity agreed in advance to tender its shares to Buyer and that all the steps of the transaction were prearranged.
However, the parties also disputed the dates on which relevant events occurred. Taxpayer asserted that they transferred their shares to Charity one week before the sale and almost one week before the fairness opinion, and there appeared to have been documentary evidence arguably supporting that assertion. The IRS contended that Charity did not acquire ownership of its 900 shares until (at the earliest) the date of the fairness opinion, allegedly after Charity had unconditionally agreed to sell the 900 shares to Buyer. That contention derived some support from other documentary evidence, as well as from Appraiser’s description of the proposed transaction, which recited that Taxpayer would transfer 900 shares to Charity simultaneously with Buyer’s acquisition of the 6,100 shares.
There were also genuine disputes of material fact concerning the extent to which Charity, having received the 900 shares, was obligated to tender them to Buyer. Appraiser stated in its report that Taxpayer would use “all reasonable efforts to cause * * * [Charity] to agree to sell the shares to [Buyer].” The record included little evidence concerning Taxpayer’s ability to influence Charity’s actions or Charity’s negotiations with Buyer. The IRS contended that Charity had no meaningful discussions with Buyer, but was “simply informed by” Taxpayer that the 900 shares should be tendered at once. The Court pointed out that a trial would be necessary to determine whose version of the facts was correct.
One fact potentially relevant to this question, the Court noted, concerned Buyer’s fiduciary duties as a custodian of charitable assets. If Charity tendered its Target shares, it would immediately receive a significant amount of cash. If it refused to tender its shares and the entire transaction were scuttled, Charity would apparently be left holding a 13% minority interest in a closely held corporation.
In sum, viewing the facts and the inferences that might be drawn therefrom in the light most favorable to the IRS as the nonmoving party, the Court found that there existed genuine disputes of material fact that prevented summary judgement on the assignment of income issue.
Thus, the Court denied Taxpayer’s motion.
Insofar as charitable giving is concerned, there are generally three kinds of taxpayer-donors: (i) those who genuinely believe in the mission of a particular charity and seek to support it, (ii) those who support the charity, or charitable works generally, but who want to use their charitable gift to generate some private economic benefit, [iii] and (iii) those who are not necessarily charitably inclined but who do not want to see their wealth pass to the government. [iv]
Most donors fall into the first category. This is fortunate, in part because the tax benefit that the donation generates for the donor-taxpayer will not compensate the taxpayer for the “lost” economic value represented by the property donated – the gift is being made for the right reason.
That is not say that such donors do not engage in any tax planning with respect to their charitable giving; for example, a donor would generally be better off donating a low basis asset rather than an identical asset with a high basis.
In the case of the closely held business, the donor’s tax planning almost always implicates the assignment of income doctrine. After all, would an owner’s fellow shareholders willingly accept a charity into their fold as an owner? Would the charity accept equity in a closely held business in which it will hold a minority interest, where the interest cannot readily be sold, and which cannot compel cash distributions from the business? Each of these questions has to be answered in the negative.
It is a fact that most charities prefer donations of liquid assets. Under what circumstances, then, may a donation of an interest in a close business ever find its way into the hands of a charity?
In last week’s post [v] , we saw how the “excess business holdings” and other rules operate to prevent a private foundation from holding equity in a closely held business. These rules do not apply to public charities, but that does not give such charities carte blanche, nor does it change their preference for gifts of cash or cash equivalents.
A charity will be most open to accepting a gift of an interest in a closely held business where the charity is “assured” that the interest will be redeemed by the business or sold to a third party for cash shortly thereafter.
Unfortunately for the donor-taxpayer, these are also the circumstances in which the IRS will raise the assignment of income doctrine in order to tax the donor-taxpayer on the gain recognized in the redemption or sale of the interest donated to the charity.
As illustrated by the decision discussed above, the application of the doctrine will often be a close call, especially for a business owner who is unaware of its existence.
[i] See last week’s post , for a brief discussion of the distinction between private foundations and public charities.
[ii] Toujours les “facts and circumstances.” Apologies to Napoleon and Patton.
[iii] For example, contributing property to a charitable remainder – split-interest – trust, generating an immediate tax deduction, having the trust sell the property without tax liability, then investing the entire proceeds to generate the cash flow necessary for paying out the annuity or unitrust amount.
[iv] The latter typically name a charity, any charity, as the beneficiary of last resort in the so-called “Armageddon clauses” of their wills and revocable trusts.
[v] But do you remember NYU Law School’s pasta business? Mueller’s anyone?

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Specifically, the assignment of income doctrine holds that a taxpayer who earns income from services that the taxpayer performs or property that the taxpayer owns generally cannot avoid liability for tax on that income by assigning it to another person or entity.
The allocation-of-income theory of Sec. 482; and; The rules for allocation of income between a personal service corporation and its employee-owners of Sec. 269A. Assigning income to the entity that earns or controls the income. Income reallocation under the assignment-of-income doctrine is dependent on determining who earns or controls the income.
The US Supreme Court later summarized the assignment of income doctrine as follows: "A person cannot escape taxation by anticipatory assignments, however skillfully devised, where the right to receive income has vested." Harrison v. Schaffner, 312 U.S. 579, 582 (1941). [vi] Revenue Ruling 78-197, 1978-1 CB 83. [vii] Estate of Applestein v.
applicability of the assignment of income doctrine. As first enunciated in Lucas v. Earl, 281 U.S. 111 (1930), the assignment of income doctrine provides that income is ordinarily taxed to the person who earns it, and that the incidence of income taxation may not be shifted by anticipatory assignments. However, the courts and the Service
When do taxpayers recognize gross income 1. They receive an economic benefit 2. They realize the income 3. No tax provision allows them to exclude or defer the income Economic Benefit Means to receive an item of value -borrowed funds represent a liability, NOT an economic liability, not in gross income Realization Principle
The assignment of income doctrine states that the taxpayer who earns the income must pay the tax on that income, even if he gave the right to collect the income to another person. The doctrine is quite clear: taxpayers must pay their own taxes.
According to the assignment of income doctrine, income must be taxed to the person receiving the cash from an income-generating transaction. false Explanation: Income must be taxed to the person that renders the service or owns the capital with respect to which the income is paid. The receipt of cash is irrelevant.
Revenue Ruling 79-247, 1979-2 C.B. 24, holds that amounts computed at the prevailing rate of interest deposited with a stockbroker by an investor, that are credited ... In general, under the anticipatory assignment of income doctrine, a taxpayer who earns or otherwise creates a right to receive income will be taxed on any gain realized
Question: The assignment of income doctrine holds that: A) Income from a transaction must be taxed to the person who receives the cash from the transaction. B) Income from a transaction must be taxed to the person who reports the transaction on his or her tax return. C) Income from a transaction must be taxed to the person that earns the income.
The assignment of income doctrine - states that income must be taxed to the entity that renders the service or owns the capital with respect to which the income is paid. The economic substance doctrine - holds that a transaction that changes the taxpayer's economic situation only for the tax savings from the transaction can be disregarded by ...
The assignment of income doctrine is a judicial doctrine developed in United States case law by courts trying to limit tax evasion. The assignment of income doctrine seeks to "preserve the progressive rate structure of the Code by prohibiting the splitting of income among taxable entities." [1] History [ edit]
Specifically, the assignment of income doctrine holds that a taxpayer who earns income from services that the taxpayer performs or property that the taxpayer owns generally cannot avoid liability for tax on that income by assigning it to another person or entity. The doctrine is frequently applied to assignments to creditors, controlled ...
The assignment of income doctrine was developed from court decisions which decided the issues, including the various methods employed in attempting to determine who earned the income. There was a time during the World War II years and thereafter, until around 1963, that the top income tax brackets could be as high as 91% - 93%. ...
Specifically, the assignment of income doctrine holds that a taxpayer who earns income from services that the taxpayer performs or property that the taxpayer owns generally cannot avoid liability for tax on that income by assigning it to another person or entity. The doctrine is frequently applied to assignments to creditors, controlled ...
The Tax Court analyzed the second prong under the assignment-of-income doctrine. This provides that a taxpayer cannot avoid taxation by assigning a right to income to another. The court stated: "Where a donee redeems shares shortly after a donation, the assignment of income doctrine applies only if the redemption was practically certain to ...
Specifically, the assignment of income doctrine holds that a taxpayer who earns income from services that the taxpayer performs or property that the taxpayer owns generally cannot avoid liability for tax on that income by assigning it to another person or entity.
The primary purpose of the "assignment of income doctrine" is to ensure that a person does not simply assign their income to a third party to avoid having to pay taxes. If they do, then they can be charged and convicted of committing tax evasion.
In determining whether the donating taxpayer has assigned income in these circumstances, one relevant question is whether the prospective sale of the donated stock is a mere expectation or a virtual certainty. "More than expectation or anticipation of income is required before the assignment of income doctrine applies," the Court stated.