In RE McKAY
ORDER
This matter came before the Court on the: (i) Objection to Claim 8-1 and Objection to Claim 10-1 (Doc. Nos.32, 33) filed by the Debtor David B. McKay (“Debtor”); (ii) the Motions and Amended Motions for Relief from the Automatic Stay (Doc. Nos.46, 47, 49, 50) filed by the Estate of Patricia A. McKay and McKay Properties, LLC (collectively, “Movants”); and (iii) the parties’ respective responses to these pleadings (Doc. Nos.43, 44, 48). Also pending are the Objections to Confirmation (Doc. Nos.22, 64, 67) filed by Movants. An evidentiary hearing was held on August 18, 2009 at which the Debtor, his counsel, counsel for the Chapter 13 Trustee, and counsel for and representatives of Movants appeared. The parties, pursuant to the Court’s directive, filed post-hearing briefs and supporting case law (Doc. No. 71).
The Debtor’s Objections to Claims are due to be sustained. The Estate’s Motion for Relief from Stay is due to be denied and McKay Properties’ Motion for Relief from Stay is due to be granted in part. The Objections to Confirmation are interlinked with the matters presented at the eviden-tiary hearing and are ripe for determination. They are due to be overruled and a final confirmation hearing is due to be set. The Court makes the following findings and conclusions after reviewing the pleadings and evidence, hearing live testimony and argument, and being otherwise fully advised in the premises.
Introduction
The Debtor filed this case on November 24, 2008 (“Petition Date”). The claim,
McKay Properties, LLC (“McKay Properties”) is a closely-held Louisiana limited liability company which was formed after the death of Kenneth as a vehicle for distributing the assets of and recovering the debts owed to Kenneth to and from his heirs. McKay Properties owns the Highland Place Shopping Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and generates income through the leasing of commercial space to tenants. The Debtor has a 1/6 ownership interest in McKay Properties.
The Debtor’s sole sources of income are periodic distributions from the Patricia Estate and McKay Properties. The distributions and the Debtor’s ownership interest in McKay Properties constitute assets of his bankruptcy estate.
I. THE PATRICIA ESTATE
Claim Objection
The Patricia Estate filed Claim No. 8-1 asserting a secured claim of $47,683.46. It contends it is entitled to interest at the rate of 8.0% per annum and reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs if the Debtor is entitled to distributions or bequests from the Patricia Estate in excess of $47,683.46. The claim relates to two loans made by Patricia to the Debtor or his company Cellular Outfitters, Inc. prepetition: (i) $28,000.00 on June 23, 2005; and (ii) $22,000.00 on June 30, 2005 (collectively, the “Patricia Loans”).
The Patricia Estate asserts, pursuant to its Cash Flow Data sheet (Patricia Estate Exh. 5), interest accrues on the Patricia Loans at the rate of 8.00% per annum and the balance owed on the Petition Date was $47,683.46. The original interest rate was 5.00% and the rate increased to 8.00% on January 1, 2006 without explanation. No promissory notes or security agreements documenting the Patricia Loans were executed.
The Debtor stipulated he owes the amount of $47,683.46 for the Patricia Loans, but disputes the secured nature of Claim No. 8-1. He asserts in his Objection the “claim may not account for tax payments made by the Debtor through its payroll company.” He presented no documentation of tax payments or establishing a basis for a reduction of the claim amount.
The Patricia Estate asserts the Patricia Loans are secured by a right of setoff, offset and/or recoupment against the Debt-
Prior to the time that any of the above and foregoing bequests are given effect, I direct that my Executor collect ... from David Blaine McKay on the other hand all amounts owed by them to me ... Further, I have loaned the sum of $50,000.00 to David Blaine McKay. My Executor is directed to determine the outstanding balance, if any, of each such debt, and to collect such outstanding balance prior to making any distribution to either Anna Katherine McKay Ed-munds, Claire McKay Beach, or David Blaine McKay.
Id., Article II, ¶ F. Article III of the Will addresses disposition of the residuary estate:
I give my residuary estate, which shall not include any property over which I have power of appointment, per stirpes, to my children who are then living at my death; provided, however, that if any such beneficiary has not reáched legal age under the law of the jurisdiction in which that beneficiary is domiciled at the time of distribution under this Article, then distribution of his or her share shall be made instead to the legal guardian of such beneficiary as custodian for that beneficiary under the Texas Uniform Gifts to Minors Act, and all provisions of that Act as they exist at the time of this will shall apply to the distribution.
Id., Article III. The distribution of the residuary estate, unlike the specific bequests, is not subject to a debt repayment contingency.
The Patricia Estate contends the Debt- or’s outstanding indebtedness from the Patricia Loans and the contingency clause of Article II, Paragraph F of the Will create a right of set off and/or recoupment in favor of the Patricia Estate. Sections 506(a) and 553 of the Bankruptcy Code govern this issue. Section 506(a)(1) provides:
An allowed claim of a creditor secured by a lien on property in which the estate has an interest, or that is subject to setoff under 553 of this title, is a secured claim to the extent of the value of such creditor’s interest in the estate’s interest in such property, or to the extent of the amount subject to setoff, as the case may be, and is an unsecured claim to the extent that the value of such creditor’s interest or the amount so subject to setoff is less than the amount of such allowed claim.
Except as otherwise provided in this section and in sections 362 and 363 of this title, this title does not affect any right of a creditor to offset a mutual debt owing by such creditor to the debt- or that arose before the commencement of the case under this title against a claim of such creditor against the debtor that arose before the commencement of the case....
Setoff
Three elements must be present for the right of setoff to arise pursuant to the plain and unambiguous language of
The elements of setoff are not present. The parties do not owe mutual prepetition debts to each other. The Debtor’s indebtedness of $47,683.46 arose from prepetition loans made by Patricia. The Debtor is entitled to distributions from the Patricia Estate, which came into being after Patricia’s post-petition death. There is no mutuality of time between the loan debt and the Debtor’s inheritance claim.
Setoff, even if the elements of
None of the cases relied upon by the Patricia Estate are supportive of its position. Each case presented in its List of Authorities involves facts inapposite to the facts of this matter. The Patricia Estate relies in particular on this Court’s decision
In re Carpenter,
Recoupment
The Patricia Estate asserts, alternatively, it has a common law right of recoupment it can exercise against the Debtor’s inheritance rights. The equitable doctrine of recoupment “is a more distinctive and limited type of setoff right.”
Matter of Aquasport, Inc.,
The Patricia Estate must establish the three elements of recoupment by a preponderance of the evidence: (i) the debtor’s claim and the creditor’s claim arose from the same transaction; (ii) the creditor is asserting its claim as a defense; and (iii) the “main action” is timely.
Smith v. American Fin. Sys. Inc. (In re Smith),
The doctrine of recoupment is not applicable. There is no integrated transaction and the Patricia Estate asserts recoupment not defensively, but as a basis for affirmative relief. The Patricia Estate is attempting to collect the Patricia Loans from the Debtor through the Chapter 13 claims process. It asserts the right of recoupment as a basis for its secured claim, for relief from the automatic stay, and objection to the Debtor’s Plan. It is using recoupment not defensively, but as an action for affirmative relief.
The Patricia Estate does not have a right of setoff or recoupment against the Debtor. It has not established it has a secured claim. The Debtor’s Objection to Claim No. 8-1 is due to be sustained. The Patricia Estate holds a general unsecured claim of $47,683.46.
Motion for Relief from Stay
The automatic stay of
The Patricia Estate has no enforceable right of setoff or recoupment pursuant to applicable law.
Objection to Conñrmation
The Debtor filed an original Plan (Doc. No. 13) and an Amended Plan (Doc. No. 31). He treats the Patricia Estate as a general unsecured creditor and proposes to pay general unsecured creditors a pro rata dividend of $10.00 per month. The claims bar date has passed and secured claims of $421,080.78 and general unsecured claims of $24,215.30 have been filed. The Patricia Estate filed an Objection to confirmation in which it reiterates its right to setoff and/or recoupment assertions. It objects to the Debtor’s Plan on the basis the Plan fails to provide for payment of its secured claim.
The Patricia Estate, by filing Claim No. 8-1, voluntarily elected to participate as a creditor in the Debtor’s Chapter 13 ease. The Debtor’s inheritance rights constitute property of the bankruptcy estate. This Court has subject matter jurisdiction over Claim No. 8-1 and has authority to adjudicate the enforceability of Article II, Section F of Patricia’s Last Will and Testament as to the Debtor’s inheritance distribution rights.
Markham v. Allen,
The Patricia Estate holds a general unsecured claim for $47,683.46 which shall be paid pro rata pursuant to the Chapter 13 distribution process. The specific bequest distribution contingency of Article II, ¶ F of Patricia’s Last Will and Testament is unenforceable as to the Debt- or. To require the Debtor to pay the Patricia Estate $47,683.46 as a condition to receiving any inheritance distributions would allow the Patricia Estate to receive more than the Debtor’s other general unsecured creditors and violate the fundamental bankruptcy principle of equal distribution to creditors. The Patricia Estate’s Objection to confirmation is due to be overruled.
II. McKAY PROPERTIES
Claim Objection
McKay Properties filed Claim No. 10-1 asserting a secured claim of $42,164.03 for “money loaned” plus interest at the rate of 6.0% per annum and reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs pursuant to
Steven W. Black (“Black”), the Managing Member of and holder of a one third membership interest in McKay Properties, presented imprecise and inconsistent testimony as to the basis for the claim. He explained the claim relates to prepetition loans made by Kenneth to the Debtor which were transferred to McKay Properties, but also testified the claim relates to estate taxes for Kenneth’s estate. The claim amount of $42,164.03 was calculated by McKay Properties’ accountant who was not present. Black could not explain the basis for the per annum interest charge of 6.0%.
The Debtor acknowledged he borrowed funds from his father prepetition. He did not execute a promissory note or security agreement for the loans. Counsel for Kenneth’s probate estate presented a letter in June 2005 to the Debtor and the other members of McKay Properties computing their debts owed to Kenneth’s estate. The computations set forth a beginning indebtedness of $89,780.00 owed by the Debtor to Kenneth’s estate with interest accruing at the rate of 6.0%. Black and the Debtor’s two sisters are listed as owing debts to Kenneth’s estate.
The June 2005 letter sets forth allocations of McKay Properties’ rental income as to each member and proposes to apply each member’s indebtedness to the Kenneth estate against their income allocations. The Debtor, as the holder of a 1/6 membership interest, is entitled to receive 15.28% of McKay Properties’ income less mortgage, insurance, taxes, and other operating costs. His monthly debt repayment allocation, based upon an one hundred-month amortization schedule, was $917.00 for 2005 (months 1 through 6) and $1,167.00 after 2005 (months 7 through 100). The June 2005 letter concluded:
As you can determine, from the allocations, it is assumed that 50% of each rental payment that you are to receive is to be applied to the indebtedness which you owe the estate. The lengths of time for each of you to amortize that indebtedness is also reflected on the documentation which is included. If, after reviewing these enclosures, you have any questions, please let Jay or me know. If the computations are satisfactory, distributions will be made as soon as I receive approval from each of you.
McKay Properties’ Exh. 4., pp. 1-2.
The proposed allocations contained in the June 2005 letter were the result of several meetings between Kenneth’s counsel and McKay Properties’ members. All members orally agreed to the proposed allocations. The Debtor did not object to the June 2005 letter. McKay Properties
Setoff
McKay Properties asserts it has a right of setoff against the Debtor “equal to any allocations to which McKay may be entitled.” Doc. No. 49, ¶ 4. It contends it has the right to collect the debt of $42,164.08 in full prior to paying any income allocations to the Debtor.
Id.
The Debtor objects to McKay Properties’ claim asserting the claim “is inaccurate,” no right of setoff exists, and the claim is unsubstantiated by supporting documentation (Doc. No. 33). McKay Properties, as the party asserting a right to setoff, has the burden of proof.
In re Dillard Ford, Inc.,
The setoff elements of
The Debtor, by failing to object to the June 2005 letter, consented to the distribution terms whereby his income distributions would be offset against the loan indebtedness. McKay Properties made distributions to the Debtor in conformity with the June 2005 letter from 2005 through 2008. The Debtor, without objection, received and accepted those distributions. The June 2005 letter is binding agreement between the Debtor and McKay Properties. None of the exceptions of
The requirements of
The Bankruptcy Code treats a right of setoff as the equivalent of a security interest.
McKay Properties asserts it is entitled to interest and attorney’s fees on its claim.
McKay Properties, pursuant to its
McKay Properties, to prevent a payment dispute, shall remit the net monthly income allocations directly to the Trustee and shall continue to remit the funds to the Trustee until its claim is satisfied in full. In the event the claim is not satisfied during the life of the Plan, the setoff may continue post-bankruptcy until the indebtedness is fully satisfied.
Motion for Relief from. Stay
McKay Properties seeks relief from the automatic stay pursuant to
Objection to Confirmation
The Debtor treats McKay Properties as a general unsecured creditor in his Amended Plan and proposes to pay general unsecured creditors a pro rata dividend of $10.00 per month. McKay Properties objects to the Debtor’s Amended Plan through its Objection and Motion for Relief from Stay. It objects to confirmation on the basis the Amended Plan fails to provide for payment of its secured claim.
McKay Properties holds an allowed secured claim of $42,164.03 which shall be paid through setoff against the Debtor’s income distributions outside of the Plan. McKay Properties’ Objection to confirmation is due to be overruled.
Accordingly, it is
ORDERED, ADJUDGED and DECREED that the Debtor’s Objection to Claim No. 8-1 (Doc. No. 32) is hereby SUSTAINED and Claim No. 8-1 is allowed as a general unsecured claim of $47,683.46 with no interest or costs allowed; and it is further
ORDERED, ADJUDGED and DECREED that the Patricia Estate’s Motions for Relief from Stay (Doc. Nos.46, 49) are hereby DENIED; and it is further
ORDERED, ADJUDGED and DECREED that the Patricia Estate’s Objection to Confirmation (Doc. No. 39) is hereby OVERRULED; and it is further
ORDERED, ADJUDGED and DECREED that the Debtor’s Objection to Claim No. 10-1 (Doc. No. 33) is hereby OVERRULED and Claim No. 10-1 is allowed as a secured claim of $42,164.03 pursuant to
ORDERED, ADJUDGED and DECREED that McKay Properties’ Motions
ORDERED, ADJUDGED and DECREED that McKay Properties’ Objections to Confirmation (Doc. Nos.22, 40) are hereby OVERRULED; and it is further
ORDERED, ADJUDGED and DECREED that the final confirmation hearing on the Debtor’s Amended Chapter 13 Plan (Doc. No. 31) is set for January 5, 2010 at 11:30 a.m. in Courtroom A, Fifth Floor, 135 West Central Boulevard, Orlando, Florida 32801.