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Pfaff v. CommissionerPfaff v. Commissioner

Supreme Court of the United States
Mar 31, 1941
479
Reporters:
, , , ,
Before:
Reed
Mr. Justice Reed

delivered the opinion of the. Court.

This case presents the same question as Helvering v. Estate of Enright, ante, p. 636. Petitioners are the executors of a deceased physician ‍​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍who during 1935 was a member of a medical partnership and entitled to forty per cent of its profits. He died December 25, 1935, on which date there were outstanding about $69,000 of partnership accounts receivable for services rendered to patients during his lifetime. His death worked a ‍​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍dissolution of the partnership under § 62(4) of the New York Partnership Law. The decedent’s interest in these ac *647 counts came to over $27,000. Both he and the partnership were on a cash basis. Pursuant to § 42 of the Revenue Act of 1934 and article 42(1) of Treasury Regulations ‍​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍86, the commissioner included the decedent’s share of the accounts receivable in his 1935 income, though only at about one-fifth of face value. The Board of Tax Appeals sustained the commissioner’s view of the statute, and also ruled that the valuation of the decedent’s interest in the ‍​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍accounts at one-fifth of face value was amply supported. The Circuit Court of Appeals, without writing an opinion, affirmed the Board. 113 F. 2d 114. Because of a conflict with the Third Circuit’s decision in the Enright case, supra, we granted certiorari.

There is no relevant difference between these facts and Helvering v. Estate of Enright. For the ‍​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍reasons stated in that opinion it was proper to include in the decedent’s 1935 income the fair value of his interest in the accounts.

Affirmed.

Case Details

Case Name: Pfaff v. Commissioner
Court Name: Supreme Court of the United States
Date Published: Mar 31, 1941
Citations: 312 U.S. 646; 61 S. Ct. 783; 85 L. Ed. 1099; 25 A.F.T.R. (P-H) 1219; 1941 U.S. LEXIS 1253; 479
Docket Number: 479
Court Abbreviation: U.S.
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